Dining and medical precincts in major revamp for Deception Bay Market Shopping Centre

TWO new precincts — medical and dining — are among the features planned as part of a major revamp of a shopping centre north of Brisbane.

An artist’s impression of Market Square Deception Bay.

TWO new precincts — medical and dining — are among the features planned as part of a major revamp of a shopping centre north of Brisbane.

The new owners of Deception Bay Market Square shopping centre, about 35km north of Brisbane, hope to have new medical and dining precincts open by the end of the year.

Sydney-based development company Mintus purchased the centre, which was in receivership, in early March.

Speaking on behalf of the owner, new centre manager Gerard Grills said the plan was to transform the site near Hungry Jacks, which has been an eyesore for years, into medical and dining precincts.

“The plan is to get a nice offering of medical providers such as X-rays under the same roof,” Mr Grills said.

“It is what the community is saying we need here.”

Mr Grills said they wanted to work with the community to find the right mix of retailers to fill the empty shop fronts in the existing part of the centre.

He said Bay Delights, a seafood and deli store, had opened and that a new butcher would follow soon.

Mr Grills said they were also in talks with a hair and beauty salon.

“There are no major retailers as yet but we are investigating those options,” Mr Grills said.

Centre management have also been liaising with Deception Bay community groups to find out ways they could work together, such as running youth workshops.

Mr Grills said he was confident they could transform the shopping centre into a community hub — a place where residents wanted to go to meet up with friends.