MORE than 800 retail jobs are likely to be created with the opening of a proposed $75 million bulky and whitegoods retail centre on the fringe of the Cairns CBD.
Townsville developers The Lancini Group lodged the development application for the Cairns Homemaker Centre on Monday.
It will be built on the old Cairns Plywood site.
The 4.85ha site, formerly owned by the Rankine family before the plywood plant closed and the land was bought by the Hedley Group in 2006 for $11 million, is bounded by Kenny and Draper streets.
The project, a smaller version of Lancini’s Domain Central centres in Townsville and Mackay, is the first venture into the Cairns market for the major Townsville developer. As well as the 800 retail jobs, 300 jobs are expected to be created in the construction phase while the flow-on or indirect jobs creation is likely to top 1000.
Managing director Laurence Lancini told Business Week there had been an overwhelming expression of interest from tenants of the Townsville and Mackay centres to be part of the new Cairns centre.
"All of these businesses will be new to Cairns and will make a positive impact on the city," Mr Lancini said.
He said his company had "done its homework" before deciding to build the Cairns Homemaker Centre.
"We have had extensive community consultation; we’ve done an economic impact assessment; we’ve done market research and we have had wide discussions with the Cairns Regional Council.
"The feedback we have had from the community has been very positive."
Mr Lancini said the development would not conflict with existing business but would give consumers a centre where they would be able to compare prices of bulky/whitegoods items in the one location.
"From a consumer's point of view, this will be fantastic for Cairns.
"If someone wants to buy a bed, furniture or fridge, for example, they will be able to go to the one location, inspect and compare prices without having to drive elsewhere."
Mr Lancini promised an attractive development that "will be done well. It will be attractive, comfortable and convenient".
The Lancini Group is regarded as Townsville's major development company and has done residential, commercial and industrial projects from Townsville to the Gold Coast.
