Shopping boost for flood-hit suburb

IN A show of confidence for retail growth, a proposed $11 million development is expected to drive fresh competition in Bellbowrie where shoppers are facing major challenges accessing supermarket services since the January floods.

Coles at Bellbowrie Shopping Plaza is still closed after the floods.

IN A show of confidence for retail growth, a proposed $11 million development is expected to drive fresh competition in Bellbowrie where shoppers are facing major challenges accessing supermarket services since the January floods.

The Consolidated Properties development - which could see construction begin in nine to 15 months, depending on council approvals - is just three minutes' drive away from the flood-hit Bellbowrie Shopping Plaza where the anchor tenant, Coles, is yet to reopen after the floods.

"We've got a hectare of land on which we're looking at putting an IGA supermarket and probably six or seven complementary shops like a butcher, baker and newsagent," Consolidated Properties project partner Kieran Cox told The Courier Mail.

"We've received good support from the local community for it but obviously we still need to go through the process of getting our approval through council."

If the go-ahead is given, the supermarket complex at 3366 Moggill Rd will take nine to 10 months to build, he said.

Bellbowrie Shopping Plaza was hard hit during January's floods and initially was expected to be able to resume part trading in late March.

Ten shops have reopened with four more in the process of setting up but the anchor tenant - Coles - will not be back in operation until October, according to Plaza management.

"The landlord has been working 24/7 to get the Plaza up and running but he has no control over tenants as far as the outfitting is concerned, or over which tenants are returning," according to an update provided by Plaza management.

"Giving last-minute notice is typical of what has been happening," it said after it was confirmed that the floods had taken two major scalps - the Post Office which operated through a newsagency, and Heritage Community Branch.

"Hopefully Australia Post will be able to assign a new licensee for the area. Public inquiries to Australia Post may help for a timely resolution," the Plaza statement said.

"Heritage Community Branch, which puts half its profits back into the community, is not returning, due to the lack of local support, so it was not a viable proposition for them to keep a branch open."

Despite the challenges thrown up in the Plaza, potential competitor Consolidated Properties is confident there is still massive growth to come in the supermarket retail space.

"The community has been crying out for something like this for many years," Mr Cox said. A demographic assessment - conducted last year when the Bellbowrie Coles was operational - demonstrated an "overwhelming need for a second supermarket".

"Retail turnover of supermarkets has grown through the GFC which defies the trend of everything else," Mr Cox said.

"So people are going back to basics like having dinners at home, so it's one sector of the market that has gone quite well."

Mr Cox said negotiations with IGA were at an advanced stage, with Consolidated believing that their community-based approach suited the Moggill Bellbowrie area.