Office products retailer plans to extend Hermit Park store Expansion in works
OFFICEWORKS has revealed plans for a massive expansion of its Townsville business.
The leading retailer and supplier of office products, which has 150 stores nationwide, has received formal permission from Townsville City Council for the development.
Documents show it will expand its Hermit Park store by almost a third. The proposed extension will be towards the Boundary St frontage.
Under the proposal, there will be a total of 123 car parks at the business.
Part of the expansion will take place in land bordered by Brodie St and Boundary St, currently a dust bowl.
The development is formally described as a “showroom”.
A new access driveway and crossover from Brodie St will be constructed by the developers.
The council imposed a number of conditions, including the permanent closure of vehicle access to the site from Boundary St so as to not “compromise the safety and efficiency” of the statecontrolled road.
Both the sale of the freehold for the Officeworks showroom at 44 Charters Towers Rd and a vacant site next door at 40 Charters Towers Rd settled for what is understood to be a total price of around $ 9 million in 2016.
The sale was one of the city’s biggest investment deals of that year. It’s not known how much Officeworks is investing in the latest development.
Townsville Chamber of Commerce president Debbie Rains said the development would be welcomed by the business community.
“It’s great news that Officeworks has decided to invest more money in Townsville,” she said.
“It shows confidence in the city, that there is growth.
“By investing that substantial capital, it will encourage other business and chains to do the same.”
Ms Rains said there were “pockets of green shoots” in certain sectors of the business community.
“It is cautious optimism as there is a lot of industry doing it tough,” she said.
“It’s not clear sailing at this point.
“But investments like this in the city will give more confidence to the region.”
Officeworks was contacted for comment but did not respond by deadline.