Green light for Coast’s newest retail centre
CONSTRUCTION of the Gold Coast’s newest shopping centre will begin in coming months after the $82 million project got the green light.
The Gold Coast City Council on Monday approved a dramatic revamp of Sunland Group’s planned The Lanes Retail Village at Clear Island Waters’ $1.3 billion The Lakes precinct.
Sunland managing director Sahba Abedian said the complex would open in late 2022.
“Council’s decision to approve our development application is a welcome one and signals an exciting moment in the evolution of The Lakes,” he said.
The approval comes six months after the developer filed revamped plans for the complex, which was redesigned in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic to better suit public tastes.
The Lanes will have 7000sq m of retail laneways interwoven with a fresh-food market hall, cafes, restaurants, a health and wellbeing precinct and a lakeside community green.
Under the original $200m 2017 proposal, the project would have featured 17,000sq m of retail space and urban laneways.
The new-look centre was designed by architectural firm Blight Rayner in collaboration with Sunland’s in-house design team.
The Lanes will be the first
major shopping centre built in the city’s central suburbs since Robina Town Centre opened in April 1996.
Mr Abedian said Sunland was looking forward to working with potential retailers.
“Along with 750-plus future residents of the adjoining apartments at The
Lanes Residences, about 200,000 people will live within a 10-minute drive of The Lanes Retail Village and close to 100,000 cars pass the site daily,” he said.
“Given such numbers, and its central location close to all major infrastructure, it’s no surprise we have already received strong interest from
retailers sharing in our vision to be part of the vibrant community we are creating.”
Sunland bought the site on the corner of Bermuda St and Hooker Blvd in 2015 and is developing the remaining sections around the shopping precinct as The
Lakes masterplanned community.
The first two of four residential towers have risen on the site. Residents will move in by June.