The Quarter goes as microbrewery planned for Casuarina Square

A new plan has been lodged for major upgrades at a leading Territory shopping centre. Read what’s ahead.

Plans to build a new pub with a microbrewery at Casuarina Square have been lodged with Territory planning authorities.

Centre owners Sentinel Property Group lodged the application with the Development Consent Authority last month as part of a broader $10m vision to renovate The Quarter entertainment and leisure precinct.

Opened in 2016, the $34m The Quarter precinct originally had 12 restaurants, al fresco dining, a kids playground, TimeZone and a civic centre.

But the area soon became a hotspot for anti-social behaviour at Casuarina Square, with shoppers often forced to walk past intoxicated patrons through The Quarter into the centre or to the cinema.

If approved, the upgrades will involve enclosing the precinct to convert The Quarter into a climate-controlled environment through demolition of the existing roof structure, play equipment, a vacant tenancy and the Trower Road planter boxes.

Casuarina Square after the Quarter upgrades. Picture: Supplied

In its place, an additional 560m2 of floor area will be built extending the existing facade along Trower Road, to the multi-level car park entrance.

The development will feature innovative design including an activated portion into the new tenancy, with large transparent glass windows and a new glass door providing direct entry.

The proposed microbrewery will also include a sizeable glass frontage and a glass door providing direct entry into the premises.

The proposed bar and public tenancy layout includes indoor and outdoor seating areas for the consumption of food and drinks, a kitchen and back-of-house facilities for the preparation of food, a large bar, a microbrewery and ablution facilities.

“The proposed works seek to reinvigorate and improve the viability of tenancies within the ELP,” the development application said.

Warren Ebert and Michael Sherlock at the Casuarina Square. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“Currently, the area attracts a disproportionate level of anti-social behaviour which is partially associated with the location of the existing taxi rank. A replacement taxi rank has recently been completed along Bradshaw Terrace, in front of the entrance to the food court.

“The new taxi rank will have improved passive surveillance and a more convenient connection to the bus interchange. The existing taxi rank will be removed, and the adjacent pedestrian pathway will be widened.”

In place of the existing taxi rank will be an after-hours area for rideshare services and an existing containerised shop premises at the southern end of The Quarter will be rebuilt as a permanent retail tenancy.

The upgrades to The Quarter are in addition to about $25m worth of internal works at Casuarina Square to improve security and shopper experience.

It is anticipated the Development Consent Authority will consider The Quarter application in August.