Logan shopping centre owner Lancini told no extension until 2021

A DEVELOPER who made a $10,000 contribution to Logan Mayor Luke Smith’s election campaign has been forced to hold off on plans to expand a Holmview shopping centre.

Janelle MacGinley from McDonald’s Holmview (left) and Walid Fayad from 7 Seas Takeaway are happy the centre won’t be extended until 2021. (AAP Image/Richard Walker)

A DEVELOPER who made a $10,000 contribution to Logan Mayor Luke Smith’s election campaign has been forced to hold off on plans to expand a Holmview shopping centre.

Lancini Property and Development asked council to upgrade Holmview Central Shopping Centre from a local centre precinct to a district precinct.

The move would allow two supermarkets with a gross floor area of 4000sq m per shop along with a discount department store with a gross floor area of 8000sq m, when the current zoning only allows for one supermarket with a gross floor area of 4000sq m.

However, the request, which required a major amendment to the Logan Planning Scheme, was knocked on the head at last month’s council meeting.

Division 5 councillor Jon Raven opposed the request claiming council had only recently signed off on the current planning scheme and it was unfair on other centres to prematurely change the plan.

He said he could understand a need for such a centre in 2021.

“But Beenleigh is a centre that needs as much attention and support as possible,” he said.

“What will happen if Beenleigh and this centre develop at the same time is that there will be two new shiny centres to choose from and ... if one goes slightly earlier — because Lancini is really to hit the ground running — people will be distracted and go there instead of supporting Beenleigh, which must grow as a major centre for the city.”

His thoughts were echoed by Div 6 councillor Stacey McIntosh whose electorate covers Holmview. Cr McIntosh said the decision did not prohibit Lancini from submitting a development application which would have to be assessed on its community impact.

“We are not knocking back the development — because Holmview will need it one day — we are just delaying it until the area is better suited for such a centre,” she said.

“There are already three drive-through tenancy opportunities in nearby Castile and Logan River Road, which Lancini is having difficulty filling,” she said.

A spokeswoman for Lancini Property and Development said the developer had not applied to extend the centre.

Owner of McDonald’s at Holmview Central Shopping Centre Janelle MacGinley said she was relieved the centre would not be eligible to be upgraded to a district precinct until 2021.

Mrs MacGinley said she believed such a move would stifle business at the Beenleigh Mcdonald’s which she also owns.

“Council needs to take a holistic approach and look at the entire area and how to develop it, rather than just one centre,” she said.

Fish and chip shop owner at the centre Walid Fayad said he was concerned that if the centre was allowed to expand before the next Planning Scheme update in 2012, he would be faced with insurmountable competition from other food outlets.

“When more housing estates come online in the next five years, we will have the population to support more food outlets, but at the moment, any more competition and we would struggle.”