What huge new retail centre means for Coast suburb

The vision behind a multimillion-dollar shopping and medical centre expected to transform a Coast suburb, is all in the name, according to its developer.

Sancus Property principal Tony Riddle and Whites IGA owners Roz and Michael White celebrate the approval of the Forest Glen Village Centre development. Picture: Tegan Annett

The vision behind a multimillion-dollar shopping and medical centre expected to transform a Coast suburb, is all in the name, according to its developer.

Forest Glen Village Centre celebrated a major milestone this week after the development received approval by Sunshine Coast Council.

Centre board chairman Tony Riddle, of Sancus Property, is behind the masterplanned retail and shopping precinct along with several other local investors including Michael and Roz White of Whites IGA.

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Mr Riddle and the Whites popped a bottle of champagne on Friday morning to celebrate the council's approval, allowing construction to start mid-2021.

Built on a 6.6ha site at Mons Rd, the project will deliver more than 15,500sq m of mixed retail, commercial and industrial space.

Council approving the Forest Glen Village Centre was celebrated with a bottle of champagne on Friday by Sancus Property principal Tony Riddle and Whites IGA owners Roz and Michael White. Picture: Tegan Annett

The shopping centre will be anchored by Mr and Mrs White's sixth IGA for the Sunshine Coast, and will also feature a craft brewery, hairdresser, bottle shop and eating precinct.

Mr Riddle said it would help attract more people to the area and in turn, support existing small businesses along Mons Rd.

"It's in the name, the word 'village', that's what we're trying to create," he said.

"Behind us we see businesses who are successful in their own right, we have the bakery, the butcher, Crunch that specialises in South African food.

"What we're going to do is have a mix of businesses that will help create a vibrant centre."

Mr Riddle said they want to make Forest Glen a destination for day trippers and boost confidence for future development in the area.

A quiet Sunshine Coast suburb could be transformed with a development application lodged for a new shopping precinct, including a supermarket, indoor sports centre and food and drink outlet.

It will also feature a medical centre with doctors and dentists - services Mr Riddle said were in demand.

Crunch owner Christo Eloff, whose business is near the centre's site, believes the development will help his and other nearby businesses.

"It'll attract more people here," the business owner of 11 years said.

Mr Eloff said he had a loyal customer base and wasn't concerned about added competition.

Mrs White said the centre would help bring the community together.

A quiet Sunshine Coast suburb could be transformed with a development application lodged for a new shopping precinct , including a supermarket, indoor sports centre and food and drink outlet.

"Village centres like this, with an array of locally owned businesses, really unit the community and it creates a meeting place for locals to gather and network," she said.

"It's really important, particularly through troubling times.

"More than ever right now people need areas where they can come together and connect."

She said the IGA would employ about 80 people.

Construction is estimated to take between 12 to 14 months.

Sunshine Coast Councillors voted unanimously in favour of the development application approval.

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