Homewares shopping centre at Cambridge, (near Hobart)

[Chuq]

http://www.themercury.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,11199214%255E3462,00.html

$50m plan for Tassie shopaholics
By MICHELLE PAINE
27oct04

A $50 million shopping complex near Hobart airport aims to stem the flow of Tasmanians heading interstate for their homewares bargains.

Plans for a warehouse-retail centre on the Tasman Highway at Cambridge were revealed yesterday by Angus Reed, chief executive officer for the developer, Prudentia Investments.

"Every year, thousands of Tasmanians travel interstate to take advantage of the competition and bargains available there in home-maker goods -- beds, outdoor furniture, garden settings and barbecues," said Mr Reed, Tasmania-born and now based in Melbourne. "And every year, thousands of Tasmanians miss out on the variety and competition that exists in other states and regional centres, where these destination shopping complexes are commonplace."

Mr Reed said a development application for the 39,000 square metre Hobart Homemaker Centre had been lodged with the Clarence City Council. A major hardware store and national furniture, homeware and electrical shops are envisaged. In June, Prudentia bought 42ha of land on the northern side of the Tasman Highway, 10 minutes from Hobart's city centre, for the shopping development plan.

Mr Reed said there were about 14 home-maker retailers with nationwide branches, but not in Tasmania. "It will not compete with other retailers because the bulky goods concept of the Hobart Homemaker Centre is new to the state." He said the centre would provide 300-plus jobs during construction and 600 new jobs in the long term. "The area surrounding Cambridge and the Hobart airport, already under increasing development, has the potential to become the state's next retail and light industrial centre," Mr Reed said. The company was talking with community users for other parts of the site.

Mr Reed said public comment was encouraged on the development. He hoped permits would be approved by April next year so building could begin in August for a completion in April 2006.

Last week Prudentia was named as a preferred tenderer to develop Kangaroo Point, Bellerive, to the tune of $25 million.

Also http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200410/s1228016.htm (another article about the same thing)


At first this sounded like a shopping centre, but it appears to be a homewares/furniture type centre. Cambridge is a fairly "out in the sticks" area, but it is close to the growing areas of Lauderdale and Seven Mile Beach, so there is a good chance it could become a big commercial district in the future.

I don't really get the first line - ...aims to stem the flow of Tasmanians heading interstate for their homewares bargains. I don't exactly think people buy bulky things like BBQs and furniture etc. interstate. Maybe the complex will be more like a DFO centre.

[Jimmy James]

I've stayed at that Motel/Resort at Seven Mile Beach! Those Home-Maker places are Brisbane - there's a huge complex in Aspley that has all furniture and lighting stores, Babyco, a Toy Store and some sort of Fast Food Outlet (Aspley has Red Rooster and Lone Star, Jindalee has Maccas) this will be good for Hobart.

By the way I know that Tasmanians travel to Melbourne to shop, but I didn't think it was for Beds and BBQs! Like that's a big load to take back on the boat!

[Chuq]

http://www.themercury.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,11874276%255E3462,00.html

'Home' is closer for homemakers
By CHARLES WATERHOUSE
07jan05

A PROPOSAL for a $50 million homemaker centre at Cambridge has been advertised, providing people with an opportunity to comment.

A major hardware store and national furniture, homeware and electrical shops are envisaged on land adjoining the Tasman Highway. Clarence City Council considered the planning scheme amendment and development application last month. The plan includes three buildings, collectively about the size of Eastlands Shopping Centre in floor area. A planning amendment was needed because the council had not considered the establishment of a homemaker centre and required a definition to be prepared. The large homemaker centre concept is relatively new and is becoming popular on the mainland. Full details of the amendment were printed in a council public notice on Wednesday. The notice is customary for combined development and planning amendment applications. The application can be inspected at the council's office until January 27, the date when public comment closes. Clarence Mayor Cathy Edwards said: "Even though it's a commercial development, we are trying to get the best result we can from an aesthetic point of view, particularly because of its profile from the Tasman Highway." The proposed development is a little different from the original plan. Ald Edwards said she believed this was because certain developers of businesses in the centre wanted to use their own architects. Ald Edwards said it was a good, flat and accessible location. After the close of public advertising and the public comment period, Clarence council staff will do a report on the public comments. The report and the public comments will then go to a council meeting when the council will review its decision whether to continue to support the development and planning amendment, or whether to change the proposed conditions on the development. The final decision on approval will be made by the Resource Planning and Development Commission.