New chapter for centre
A rundown shopping centre in Wulguru is being refreshed under new ownership.
The Edison Plaza, previously held by a company controlled by Peter Dutton’s wife, Kirilly, has been sold to a southern-based investor through Colliers Townsville for $840,000.
Colliers executive, commercial and industrial, Todd Walsh said the new owners planned to revitalise the neighbourhood retail centre and inject some life back into it.
While a Chinese takeaway shop continues to trade in the centre, Mr Walsh said it was otherwise empty because the previous owner had plans to redevelop it into a child care centre.
Leases were not renewed in readiness for the redevelopment which ultimately did not eventuate.
Now some construction work has started at the centre.
Mr Walsh said it would be good for people in Wulguru to have a convenience offer returned.
“It’s good to see these old centres brought back to life,” Mr Walsh said.
The centre has a building area totalling 724sq m, configured as 11 tenancies on a land
area of 4024sq m with two street frontages and drive through access.
It has 50 on-site car parks and is opposite the Wulguru state school in a long established residential area.
The site has development approval for an 85-place childcare centre.
The centre was linked to a political furore in 2018 over the eligibility of Queensland MP Peter Dutton to remain in parliament and later in 2021 was advertised by Townsville City Council for auction because of unpaid rates, which was prevented when the outstanding rates were paid.
Ms Dutton operated childcare centres which were held in a family trust, prompting then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull — when challenged by Mr Dutton for his job — to question the MP’S financial interests in publicly funded childcare centres could be in breach of the constitution.
The government’s solicitor-general found there was “some risk” the High Court could find Mr Dutton had a conflict of interest and on returning to parliament in 2019 Mr Dutton amended his Register of Members’ Interest by deleting his interest in the family trust.