New retail centre outlined
A major new retail development planned for Warragul is targeting having its doors open in time for next year’s Christmas shopping.
A Bunnings retail and trade hardware store of more than 11,100 square metres of floor space, a Kmart department store (6400 square metres) and a Kmart Tyre and Auto (319 square metres) will headline the complex that is also planned to have seven retail tenancies occupying a total of 4400 square centres.
The estimated $25-million development at the corner of Queen St and Hazel Drive was outlined to more than 70 potential local sub-contractors and suppliers at a briefing session in Warragul last Tuesday night by the developer, Ballarat-based Troon Group.
The cost does not include fitouts of the buildings that could be in the order of $30-million.
Tom McInerney, director development and operations for Troon Group and a fourth generation member of the Troon family that established the company 145 years ago, said it was planned to call expressions of interest from materials suppliers and sub-contractors from as early as next month.
The first construction steps are scheduled for mid-February with Troon planning to handover buildings to tenants from late September and October and opening of stores at the start of December.
The Warragul store will be the 66th built by Troon for the Bunnings chain.
Areas where local businesses have opportunities to be involved include:- civil works including road access and internal roads and parking areas, in-ground and above-ground utility, fire and security services; structural concrete works, blockwork, roofing, doors and windows, metal works, caulking, flooring, finishes, joinery, landscaping, fencing and equipment hire such as cranes.
The completed development will also have 545 customer car parks of which 16 will be designated for disabled access, 78 staff car parks, four trailer bays and 12 shopping trolley bays.
Colin Young, industry adviser for Gippsland for Industry Capability Network that administers the Victorian Industry Participation Project on behalf of the state government and was engaged to run last week’s industry briefing, was delighted with the interest shown by local businesses.
He said in addition to those that had registered interest to attend beforehand about another 30 people were “walk-ups” on the night after The Gazette’s page one report of the meeting last Tuesday.
Mr Young said the development would create jobs throughout the region during and after construction, reduce escape expenditure to other centres including Melbourne, provide people in the region with greater choice and convenience and would likely stimulate other investments in the area due to having a nationalbrand retailer as an anchor tenant.
A rezoning of the land from bulky goods to retail by the State government in August opened the doors for a formal application for the development.
There was a strong contingent from Baw Baw Shire at last Tuesday’s briefing. It is expected council will approve the proposal.