Aldi will open its fourth outlet in Ballarat next week with the opening of its Eureka Homemaker’s Centre store at Wendouree. Masters Hardware, which moved into the 111,400 square metre site when it was “”semi-opened” in 2013 has an uncertain future after the the company declared it would exit its hardware interests earlier this year.  Other tenants are unknown at this stage.

Further south in Delacombe expectation is also rising for the multi-million dollar shopping development Delacombe Town Centre. Leases for both are managed by Colliers International.

Colliers International senior executive Charles Kennedy was unable to confirm rumours a cinema was being built at the Delacombe development but said there had been huge local interest in the remaining tenancies, which were opened to the market earlier this year. 

Were a cinema to open, it would represent the only local competition for Lydiard Street’s iconic Regent Cinemas. Woolworths and Kmart are both confirmed tenants for the Delacombe site. 

“I’d have to characterise the interest level as being phenomenal,” Mr Kennedy said. “It’s certainly responding to the surge in residential development (in the so-called Ballarat west employment zone) and with the idea that they’ve got to pre-plan for it, the demand is growing, we’re seeing it now on the ground and the services have to be planned for.”

Mr Kennedy said the Eureka site was a “big box” retail centre looking to attract bigger retailers.