Major stores eye centre
WOOLWORTHS and Big W are likely to become anchor tenants at the proposed second shopping centre at Smithfield.
Director of Trinity Park Investments Steve Pellegrino yesterday told The Weekend Post he was in negotiations with Woolworths and Big W regarding the Cairns Beaches Town Centre to be built north of the existing shopping mall at Smithfield Centre.
"There is an overwhelming need for expanded supermarket and department store facilities," he said.
"Woolies and Big W came to us."
Last year, Mr Pellegrino and LHL, which own a combined 20 ha of land at Smithfield, approached Cairns City Council with a consultative strategy to make the adjacent allotments the business hub of the northern beaches.
Cairns Regional Council yesterday unanimously voted to continue with the process started by Flanagans and Conics consulting groups on behalf of the developers.
The council agreed they would take greater control of the process and that alternative sites be investigated before any final report was reviewed by independent consultants.
Former Cairns Mayor Kevin Bryne, who was this week appointed as an executive director of Global Investments, the owner of LHL, has made no secret of his support for a northern beaches town centre.
"Of course it will have a shopping centre component, but it is mischievous to say it will only be shopping, it is much more than that," he said.
Smithfield Centre retailers have expressed concern that a new shopping centre would duplicate services and threaten their livelihood.
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In talks: Steve Pellegrino is negotiating with supermarket giants.
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