DELACOMBE is about to undergo a major $60 million development featuring a shopping precinct and central piazza, with the developer officially purchasing the site last week.
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H Troon has just signed the contract to purchase the 6.5 hectare site at Smythes Road and Wiltshire Lane, with construction to begin June 2016 and an official opening in December 2017.
The Delacombe Town Centre project has already signed up Woolworths and Kmart for long-term leases, with developers claiming the project will create 300 new jobs during construction and 500 jobs ongoing.
H Troon development director and builder Tom McInerny said the project would be built with roads and a central square rather than a traditional mall or shopping complex design.
“The design is probably unique in that the main street design is not a mall - it will have architectural features and a piazza. It’s more a community focus and a town village,” he said.
Mr McInerny said its central square would be used for events, designed for amenity, education and recreation. He said it was the biggest private commercial development in Ballarat since Stockland Wendouree.
Delacombe Town Centre will also provide a basis for major medium density residential housing developments nearby, predicted to house more than 12,000 residents by 2030 with up to 3000 house blocks already approved.
Mr McInerny said the project was “the start of what will be the beginning of growth of Delacombe”, with significant population growth expected over the next two decades.
The new shopping centre to service Ballarat’s residential growth corridor in the south-west has been heralded as “key destination point” by City of Ballarat councillor Des Hudson.
Cr Hudson said the development, which had an intensive community and amenity focus, would draw more money to Ballarat as the region became a shopping destination to residents located in nearby rural areas, not just servicing the Ballarat West residential community.
He said Ballarat Council had worked closely with developers H Troon to ensure the development would be appealing for people to socialise and recreate by focusing on crime prevention and accessibility measures such as good lighting. “Using modern design is certainly going to be advantageous, not using the traditional model where everyone parks and walks in to access it.”
