Business leaders puzzled about plans for Southport Park expansion

WORK is set to start on a major revamp of Southport Park Shopping Centre with Woolworths to expand its Ferry Road operation by more than 1000 square metres by early next year.

Southport Chamber of Commerce president Laird Marshall.

WORK is set to start on a major revamp of Southport Park Shopping Centre with Woolworths to expand its Ferry Road operation by more than 1000 square metres by early next year.

News of the makeover has shocked some local businesspeople who predicted the “forgotten space” to struggle against the likes of Pacific Fair and the Brickworks and eventually incorporate residential units.

But owner John Van Lieshout’s JV Property Management group remained tight lipped about the project with a representative telling The Bulletin this week that plans were yet to be finalised.

The Southport Park service station will close down to make way for the expansion of retail offerings at the centre with Woolworths’ other Ferry Road outlet also sidelined for a revamp.

Southport Chamber of Commerce president Laird Marshall said he thought the investment was a “gamble” but said demand was likely the driver behind the redevelopment.

Laird Marshall, president of the Southport Chamber of Commerce

“If it’s going to be bigger and better I’d say that’s good but I’m still personally quite surprised it’s stayed as a viable shopping centre and it’s not a whole masterplan community for what it is and where it is,” he said.

“It’s almost a bit of a forgotten space. I wouldn’t have been surprised if the whole place had been bulldozed and they put up a giant unit block for the proximity, where it is to TSS and everything else.

“I’m not saying they should do that but it’s a heck of a lot of land and they could build quite a major development in there with the road access.

“If you’re going to spend more money and drop another 1000sq m in, the money’s got to come from somewhere.

“With the rest of the shopping centre I don’t think it’s going to make it a quantum competitor to anyone else.

“Maybe they think there’s a demand for it there. Rather their money than my money … but let’s see what happens.”

1987 — Southport park has been around since the 1980s and was the site of political campaigning at the 1987 Southport by-election — Nationals candidate Mick Veivers with Minister Bill Gunn, and Labor’s Peter Beattie and Robert Lee.

A local commercial property source said he was unaware of the plans but said in the past there had been support for units to be built above Southport Park.

“I don’t know what they’ve got proposed but longer term, ultimately it’s residential apartments above the shopping centre,” he said.

A Woolworths spokesman said the Ferry Road service station would be closed by next month.

“Works will commence at our Southport Park Woolworths in the coming weeks and will complete next year,” he said.

“The expansion will see the local supermarket increase its size by around 1000sq m improving the shopping experience for our customers.

“Our intention is to close the Southport Park fuel site on the 2 October 2016. We will continue to service our local customers at our nearby petrol station on Ferry Road, which is in the process of receiving an upgrade.”