Woolies wins appeal
A LEGAL attempt to block a new Cairns shopping centre project has been thrown out of court as the developer prepares to start construction.
Woolworths has won the right to build the new Trinity Beach Shopping Centre after winning a case in the Court of Appeal.
The 4680sq m centre will include a 3600sq m supermarket, nine small retail tenancies, a medical centre, childcare centre, service station and restaurant.
Woolworths state develop150 ment manager Chris Sheehan said the matter was expected to be finalised in full on Friday.
“We’re delighted to have received development approval from the Planning and Environment Court of Queensland for our Trinity Beach shopping centre development proposal,” he said.
“The multimillion-dollar development will bring significant positive economic growth to Cairns, creating hundreds of jobs during the construction stage and over permanent, part and fulltime jobs on completion.
“We look forward to delivering local Trinity Beach residents a vibrant and convenient shopping experience and we’ll update the community on a timeline for the project shortly.”
The appeal was lodged by Trinity Park Investments (TPI) – the firm behind the proposed Smithfield Hub shopping centre on the Captain Cook Highway.
Dexus, which sold the nearby Smithfield Shopping Centre to Lendlease last year, was also listed on the appeal.
Judge William Everson found the Trinity Beach centre would be “ideally located to serve the pressing need for it.”
“While there will be a loss of some foot traffic at the Smithfield Shopping Centre … the locational attributes of the proposed development in meeting the pressing need for it far outweigh these factors,” he said.
Trinity Park Investments’ own appeal against a Cairns Regional Council decision to refuse its Smithfield Hub project