The Karalee Shopping Village expansion has doubled its space and generated hundreds of new jobs for the Ipswich community

Hundreds of jobs are up for grabs following the $80 million expansion of a southeast Queensland shopping centre that has more than doubled in size.

Karalee Shopping Village has doubled in size giving more choices to shoppers.

HUNDREDS of jobs have been created through $80 million expansion of a shopping centre has wrapped up in what is the biggest upgrade for a retail asset in Ipswich’s northeastern growth corridor.

Work on the Karalee Shopping Village started in April last year and has added 6214sq m of retail space, more than doubling the total floor area of the centre.

A full-line McDonald’s restaurant, McCafe and drive through is scheduled to be built at the Karalee Shopping Centre

Works starts on the $80m redevelopment of the Karalee Shopping Village in Ipswich

Work due to double size of Karalee Shopping Centre and put in a Coles next to Woolworths

A new full-line Coles and 15 specialty stores join the existing Woolworths and specialty offering in the Consolidated Properties Group and CVS Lane Capital Partners.

The line-up of new stores includes Liquorland, Diamond Cut Hair and Makeup, Dollar Deals, Chapters Cafe, LeTan Fresh Fruit and Vegetables, My Beauty Station, TSG, Karalee Pizza and Ribs, Robbo’s Bakery, Eyecare Plus, Moss and Sparrow, and a dedicated restaurant and food precinct.

In addition, the adjoining Medical Centre has also doubled in size.

McDonalds has purchased a site in the centre and is expected to commence construction in the coming months on a new restaurant which will include a McCafe and Drive Thru service and will create up to 100 full time jobs.

Greg Chemello interim administrator Ipswich Council, Don O Rorke Consolidated Properties Group, Lee Centra CVS Lane Capital Partners and Russell Fryer Hutchinson Builders at the Karalee Shopping Village launch.

Consolidated Properties executive chairman Don O’Rorke said the expansion of the centre was planned to meet the needs of the growing population within the catchment.

“Karalee and surrounding suburbs are expected to see continued strong growth over the coming years, so the redevelopment of this shopping centre is about three things — delivering local jobs, creating a more convenient lifestyle and keeping expenditure in the local community.

“During the construction phase of this project, undertaken by Hutchinson Builders, a total of 200 contractors were employed, many of them from the local area.

“The opening of the new Coles supermarket and specialty stores has also created an estimated 120 ongoing positions and McDonalds will add to this in the near future.

“We’ve worked hard to select the right mix of retailers to join the new part of the centre, and in doing so we are aiming to contain spending in the Karalee community, to create a cycle of continuous growth through locals supporting local businesses.”

CVS Lane Capital Partners chief executive Lee Centra said Karalee Shopping Village was ideally positioned as a local and commuter shopping hub.

“The expanded Karalee Shopping Village adds to the strength of our retail portfolio that focuses on the development, refurbishment and ongoing ownership of neighbourhood centres anchored by non-discretionary retailers in high-growth regions,” he said.