Shopping, childcare centre proposed for Through St, South Grafton

A sprawling ‘lifestyle centre’ with shops, takeaway food stores and a childcare centre has been flagged for South Grafton. Here’s what to expect if the project gets the tick.

The Grafton Lifestyle Centre.

An unused patch of land on the edge of South Grafton could soon be home to a sprawling $25 million ‘lifestyle centre’, complete with shops, takeaway food and drink stores and a childcare centre.

Real estate developer CADRE has pitched the so-called ‘Grafton Lifestyle Centre’ as a means of bringing life back to a section of South Grafton which “lacks identifiable character”.

The 3.23ha plot of land sits at 21 Through St, near the Big River Wy — a key entrance to South Grafton for people arriving from the Pacific Hwy.

There will be pedestrian connections to the site from the existing Grafton footpath.

A key component of the centre is the public art flagged for the building’s “central spine area”, plans state.

The artist will be selected via a competition managed by Grafton Regional Gallery.

Three to five artists will be asked to produce designs and paid $1500 for their work, before one artist will receive a budget of $25,000 to complete the mural.

What the ‘central spine’ of the centre could look like.

Town planner Steve Connelly said the design would not clash with Grafton’s character.

“(The developer) has gone to significant lengthy to produce a built form that is low in height … and echoes the key elements from the historical architecture of Grafton,” Mr Connelly said.

Artist impression of the centre’s entrance.

The lifestyle centre is also pitched as way of adding character to what is currently a section of Grafton known for its industrial feel.

“The entrance to South Grafton from the highway is said to lack identifiable character,” planning documents state.

The centre would “enhance” this entrance into Grafton in a way that “celebrates” the town’s heritage.

There would also be a boundary line of trees surrounding the centre.

The project is also pitched as demonstrating “climate leadership” through its emphasis on sustainability.

The centre will be fossil-fuel free, using renewable energy and recycled materials. There will also be 12 electric vehicle charging stations on site.

If approved, there will be 351 carparking spaces, eleven retail stores and two takeaway food and drink stores.

The stores will run from 6am to 10pm and the childcare centre will be open from 6:30am to 6:30pm.

How your say about the project on the Clarence Valley Council website.