Revealed: Pallara to get its first ever shopping centre

A booming southside suburb could finally get its first shopping centre after plans were lodged with Council. It comes after the Government’s investment arm tried to block another developer from building shops which would have competed with its centre.

Booming southside Brisbane suburb Pallara could finally get its very first shopping centre.

Pallara Central Pty Ltd has lodged a development application (DA) with Council for a limited-line, 500 sqm supermarket, small retail outlets, childcare centre and drive-through takeaway at 223 Ritchie Rd.

The lowrise project would be built in three stages on a vacant, floodproof lot also fronting Laxton Rd.

There would be extensive planting of street trees on the cleared site and landscaping throughout the large carpark, which would have 75 spaces for the supermarket, 45 for the childcare centre and 72 for the small tenants and food outlets.

The buildings would be broken up to lessen their visual impact. They would be less than 12.5m high, with only 23.7 per cent site cover, town planners JFP Urban Consultants said in the DA documents.

Artist's impression of the shopping centre/childcare project.

“The proposal constitutes a sensitive urban design outcome that is compatible with the low-density residential nature of the surrounding development,’’ JFP said.

“Characterised by a cascading roofline cladded in modern profile (there are) corrugated metal and floor-to-ceiling glass shop fronts.

“The main building is tenanted by the majority of uses, providing convenient access between tenancies via a roofed walkway.

“This building contains a pavilion style cafe (fronting Ritchie Rd), followed by a mix of centre activities.

“The proposed fast food outlet will be detached from the main centre, with separate drive-through facilities and service bays.

“The proposed childcare centre is located along the eastern boundary of the site, away from the main centre activities.

The frontage on Ritchie Rd.

The frontage on Laxton Rd.

“This building is similar in design to the main building, however will likely operate independently.

“For the most part, the buildings are setback from the street frontages to facilitate visible and accessible on-grade parking.’’

It was great news for residents in the former salad bowl, where farms have given way to new housing estates in the past decade.

But services, including buses, shops, health facilities and childcare centres, have not kept up with growth.

The news also came after a bid last year by the government’s Queensland Investment Corporation, which owns Forest Lake Shopping Centre, to stop developer BluePoint Property from building a shopping centre at Gooderham Rd in Pallara.

Aerial view of the development site.

The only other shopping centres anywhere near Pallara were Calamvale Marketplace and Westpoint Shopping Centre in Hillcrest, Logan.

Pallara Central met with Council officers in February last year to discuss its plans.

Officers said they were mainly supportive, particularly as the gross floor area of 3450 sqm was well within limits in the neighbourhood plan.

But they had concerns about the childcare centre and lack of community space.

The developer said the nearby Pallara Presbyterian Reformed Church and a recently approved church for The House of Prayer, both on Ritchie Rd, met local demand for community spaces.

The developer also said a bus stop was likely to be built outside the shopping centre on Ritchie Rd, which was due to be widened.

Traffic was unlikely to be affected as the centre was aimed at local residents.

There would be outdoor seating, acoustic fences to reduce noise impacts on neighbours and pedestrian access to Laxton Rd.

More details on Council’s online DA portal developmenti. Search for application A006115494