Appeal stalls new coast shopping development

LIKE a strategic game of chess, developers in the Burnett Shire are moving in on each other in a bid to eradicate their competition.

Anita Morrison is pleased with the shopping centre development proposal on Rifle Range Road.

By Larine Statham

LIKE a strategic game of chess, developers in the Burnett Shire are moving in on each other in a bid to eradicate their competition.

Vying to win over the majority of shoppers, Stockwell has locked their competition into check by lodging an appeal against a shopping centre development on Rifle Range Road.

So far, the battle between the Stockwell Woolworths complex on Bargara Road and the neighbourhood-scale shopping centre at Innes Park has cost Lascorp about $200,000.

But with the Stockwell development nearing completion, Lascorp national development manager Robert Harris said the company was "prepared to take on the fight".

"There is enough population increase for both of us," Mr Harris said.

Stockwell development manager Michael Farrell said the company legally appealed Lascorp's initial application for one fundamental reason.

"The town plan doesn't support it," Mr Farrell said.

While it was alleged Lascorp had asked Stockwell to meet with them in the hope of resolving any issues, Mr Farrell said such a gathering would have been pointless.

"It doesn't matter if the two developers sit down and talk... at the end of the day it's council's decision," Mr Farrell said.

Burnett Shire Council director of planning and development Wayne Phillips said Stockwell had lodged an appeal to the planning and development court earlier this year in a bid to "eliminate the competition".

"Both applications were received at the same time, but council did not want two competing district size shopping centres," Mr Phillips said.

With council's refusal prompting considerable changes to the development application, Mr Phillips said Lascorp had to lodge it again.

"Stockwell will have the opportunity to appeal it again," he said.

Mr Harris said he was expecting Stockwell to appeal the new development plan, which had recently been given approval by council.

"They want to protect their own patch," Mr Harris said.

Mr Farell said Stockwell had not yet decided whether they would lodge a second appeal. "We need to look at the new application first," he said.

Innes Park resident Anita Morrison said she and many other residents would have preferred to see council approve the Lascorp development.

"There was already a super market at Bargara ... and nothing down this end," Mrs Morrison said.

"If they had of built it down here the IGA would have kept its business."

Cast's Supa IGA owner Kevin Cast said he would lose about 30% of his business when the Stockwell development was completed and Woolworths opened next door.

"Naturally, I would have preferred to see it opened down the other end, but even then it would have taken some business away from us," Mr Cast said.

Mr Harris said that if all goes to plan the Rifle Range Road shopping centre, including a supermarket, medical centre, pharmacy, offices and a restaurant, would be open within the next two to three years.

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Originally published as Appeal stalls new coast shopping development