More changes to new centre

Developer wants longer opening hours

AN UPCOMING shopping centre in Toowoomba’s western suburbs that’s been in the development pipeline since 2009 has asked for more changes from the council.

Kingsthorpe Central, which was first approved in 2010 for a centre on Gowrie St in Kingsthorpe and then constantly delayed, wrote to the TRC this week to extend its approved opening hours.

According to Liam Pinese from Adapt Planning, the applicant wanted to open seven days a week, from 7am to 9pm.

“A number of other shopping centres within the region are approved for extended operating hours which adjoin residential housing,” Mr Pinese argued.

“The site has been approved to provide a range of shops and speciality stores to service the local community and it is considered appropriate to extend the hours of operation to the proposed development to align with existing centres and the approved weekday trading times.

“In addition, the development has sufficient setbacks to all site boundaries and is not considered to cause adverse noise impacts on surrounding properties.

“Further to this, it would be illogical to permit later trading during the week but not the weekend.”

The council gave Kingsthorpe Central another 12 months to start construction back in August last year, and even reduced infrastructure charges by $120,000.

The first stage of Kingsthorpe Central included a supermarket, 10 smaller shops, and an 85-space car park.

The development covers more than 8000sq m.

Yet Kingsthorpe could get another shopping centre as well, with applicant GAD Projects Pty Ltd proposing a supermarket and six speciality stores on Kingsthorpe-Haden Rd.

The council hasn’t made a decision regarding opening hours.