Developer: CQ site “strategic for Australia’s future growth and prosperity”

The developer behind a large-scale commercial centre proposed for a fast-growth corridor area of Gladstone is ready to begin construction within 12 months of council approval with “A grade” retail national tenants locked in.

An artist impression of stage 1 of the Kirkwood Community Village development in Gladstone.

The developer behind a large-scale commercial centre proposed for a fast-growth corridor area of Gladstone is ready to begin construction within 12 months of council approval with “A grade” retail national tenants locked in.

Cadre Pty Ltd representatives gave a presentation to Gladstone Regional Council last week on their vision for stage 1 of the Kirkwood Community Village which takes over from the former Walker Group project which had received preliminary approved in 2016.

That approval gave the developer conditional permission to construct a commercial centre of up to 44,000m2 with a total of six precincts over Lot 243 and 301 Kirkwood Road.

An artist impression showing a section of the proposed Kirkwood Community Village project in Gladstone.

Cadre is now preparing to lodge amended plans for the site with stage 1 to provide 23,000m2 of showroom space from that 44,000m2 total footprint.

Cadre’s Nick Tyas told council the group has been working for 18 months behind the scenes to lock in big name national retail tenants, which he could not reveal at this stage

“One of the key fundamentals we’ve been working on is lining up that A grade national tenant interest both from a needs and want-to-be-here (perspective),” he said.

“The amendments that we’re working on is to cater for those national tenants; demand, use and layouts. So once this is approved, we’re ready to sign agreements with them.

“We have full commitment (from 70 per cent of tenants) subject to approval for stage 1 to follow through which for me is key to this project to set it up for success and to follow through to deliver (the full 3 stages) I’d say over 10 years.

“Which I think will provide much needed stability and economic jobs both in construction and when the stores are open a stable base for retail jobs.”

An artist impression of the proposed Kirkwood Community Village development in Gladstone.

When Cr Mellissa Holzheimer asked for a stage 1 construction time frame, he said, following approval, they could be turning dirt in “6 to 12 months”.

Cr Holzheimer also asked how they had identified the tenants to satisfy the needs of the community.

Mr Tyas said they recognised Gladstone as great location to invest and a key/strategic location for Australia’s future growth and prosperity.

He said Cadre had carried out “a quite a meticulous and thorough review of the underlying economic requirement” in Gladstone and the city was also a name that kept on coming up as they spoke to national retailers.

An artist's impression of sections of the proposed Kirkwood Community Village development in Gladstone.

Mayor Matt Burnett said he had been on the council that approved the previous project for the site and he wasn't particularly keen on extending that for another lengthy period however he was impressed by Cadre’s track record of delivering projects in a timely manner.

The site of the proposed KIrkwood Community Village project opposite the Kirkwood Woolworths at the Forest Springs Estate.

Mr Tyas said his company’s record of building large regional projects along the Eastern seaboard of Australia spoke for itself.

“We don’t sit around on our hands, we never have,” he said.

“We roll our sleeves up and we try to get things done as fast as possible. That’s always been our mentality.”

He said they would be prioritising local workforce and suppliers.

Stage one access roads includes Weegool Road and Kirkwood Drive.

The amended development application is expected to be lodged in the near future.

Originally published as Developer: CQ site “strategic for Australia’s future growth and prosperity”