New retailers could be moving in to Delacombe Town Centre's stage two as early as July or August this year, as construction ramps up on the new shopping precinct.
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Groundworks are well underway on the 5000 square metre site with Hungry Jacks, Rebel Sports, Super Cheap Auto and Reject Shop confirmed to move in.
"There's a number of national retailers signed up and we are probably 80 per cent committed now for that development," said Troon Group chairman Steve Troon, whose company is constructing the centre.
Within months of those works being completed, Troon Group construction arm H.Troon Proprietary Limited will begin on stage three development of DTC which will house a second supermarket and other retailers.
Mr Troon said Coles had committed to anchor the third stage with construction to begin early 2025 on land on the southern side of Valiant Rd behind the existing shopping centre.
Stage three will be a bit bigger than half the size of the existing stage one development, which opened in September 2017 and was sold for $112 million in November 2021.
The second and third stages of DTC will be designed to be complimentary to the existing shopping centre and neighbouring Ballarat Lifestyle Centre, home to Bunnings, PetStock, the Salvation Army, Autobarn and other big-box retailers, which Troon also built. They sold the complex in early 2021 for $12.39 million.
"When this (stage three) is built it will pretty much complete the opportunity for retail in Delacombe," Mr Troon said.
Population estimates for the DTC development state its catchment has 127,700, residents and this is projected to reach at least 154,800 residents within the next decade.
A plan to build a 52-apartment social housing development in the rear corner of the stage two site, close to the existing Pinnacle Estate, has been put on hold.
"There was a plan to build a number of social houses, town houses, and that's hit a bit of a road block with Development Victoria at the moment in trying to get the numbers to stack up," Mr Troon said.
He said talks were still in progress with the state government, who planned to fund the development under the $5.3 billion Big Housing Build project.
"We would like to think as the year goes on there will be opportunity to get that project up to date."
Existing land in the first stage of the DTC development remains earmarked for a council-run community centre. The City of Ballarat previously confirmed feasibility studies and concept plans would be drawn up for a library and community hub at the site.
