The shopping centre which is being led by anchor tenants Woolworths and Kmart will feature 35 small retailers as well as a 500-seat, six-screen Showbiz cinema. 

Discount chemist chain Direct Chemist Outlet will feature at the site and will run the facility’s medical centre.

Site development director Tom McInerney said while the centre was well placed to service an expanding population, its primary role was to provide an outlet for existing residents.

“The actual primary catchment is about 55,000 people already and it’s because the western side of Ballarat hasn't been as well serviced as the likes of Wendouree and Sturt Street in the past,” Mr McInerney said.  “The community feedback towards us is people have been waiting for 15 years for something like this to come out this way.” 

The centre will be split in two halves, with one major tenant on either side. All up the facility will house 825 car parks. 

A space at the front of the complex is also under construction for a restaurant which will likely have a liquor license. 

The centre has already achieved an occupancy rate of 70 per cent, with an aim to boost the figure to 75 per cent by the September opening date.

“We’ve been working really hard in the last six months to get our tenancy mix right so that when the centre opens it will work,” Mr McLnerney said.  

“Success will breed success and we're hoping that will show it's the right time for this development.” 

Currently 120 employees are on site to ensure the centre will be up and running by the September deadline.  

H. Troon managing director Steven Troon described the development as the biggest retail project in Ballarat in 40 years and expected the project would deliver 300 new jobs from the opening date.

He said the pre-planning for the site as part of the precinct’s development had made it easy to build quickly. 

“We bought the site with a town planning permit and Woolworths and Kmart were already signed up tenants so we had a fairly strong base to start with,” Mr Troon said.  

“It’s a $60 million development by Ballarat investors who are showing confidence in the city.”