Mercury (Hobart)

New $40m retail site

- ED BOURKE

A NEW $40m shopping centre has been proposed in Devonport, with developers saying it could create more than 700 jobs in a booming residentia­l area.

The retail strip has been slated for the corner of Stony Rise Rd and Friend St, next to the Devonport Homemaker Centre, and would be called Stony Rise Village.

Woolworths has committed to a lease as the shopping centre’s “anchor tenant”, with a full-scale supermarke­t planned including significan­t direct-to-boot and pick-up areas.

The supermarke­t will take up more than half of the 7500sq m developmen­t.

“Stony Rise Village presents an exciting opportunit­y for Woolworths to deliver a convenient, brand new full-line supermarke­t for our customers outside the Devonport CBD,” a Woolworths spokesman said.

The developer, retail property specialist Tipalea Partners, said Woolworths would share the site with retail and food outlets, while other possibilit­ies may include a medical centre, vet and car wash.

Tipalea will look to secure more leases for the proposal later this year.

Tipalea Partners CEO Scott Spanton said Stony Rise Village would provide for the booming nearby suburbs in Stony Rise, Miandetta and further south in Latrobe, Spreyton and Sheffield.

“The local community population is on such a highgrowth trajectory and Stony Rise Village is essential retail

infrastruc­ture that supports and enables this growth,” Mr Spanton said.

“These residents shouldn’t have to battle into the CBD to do their basic everyday shopping.

“Not only does it underwrite the continued growth of Devonport, but it importantl­y delivers convenienc­e, choice

and competitiv­e prices to the local community.”

The centre would have room for public art, while baby change rooms, parking with shade sails and separate loading access for trucks are all slated as features of the developmen­t.

The developers estimate council and state government approvals will take until the end of year to secure, meaning a start to constructi­on next year before completion in 2024. Tipalea has begun constructi­ng Glebe Hill Village – a similar centre to the proposal – in Hobart, the city’s first new neighbourh­ood shopping centre in more than a decade.

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