Coles supermarket application submitted to Charters Towers Regional Council
A development application for a new Coles in Charters Towers has been submitted to the regional council. The applicant has made its case as to why this will be beneficial.
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The development application for a new Coles has been submitted to the Charters Towers Regional Council, which if approved would make it the largest and most accessible supermarket store for motorists travelling between Mount Isa and Townsville.
Goldtower Properties has requested a material change of use for a shopping centre at 4-14 Cavey Court, Queenton, which would have Coles as the main tenant, alongside nine other shopfronts.
If approved it would allow Coles to gain a foothold in the North Queensland town and to compete with Woolworths, Foodworks, and IGA, but the application believes there is room for growth to keep income flowing within the community.
The report was prepared by Northpoint Planning and signed by its director Meredith Hutton, which claims the supermarket would improve Charters Towers’ circular economy by encouraging residents to spend more in the area rather than in travelling to Townsville.
It expected to create 200 new jobs during construction as well as in its operations.
There would be 5064m2 of floor space with most of this being dedicated to the supermarket giant, while 862m2 would be distributed to the other shops.
It would be part of the existing Goldtower Precinct which already contains Harvey Norman, Supercheap Auto, Mitre 10, and W. Titley and Co.
The application proposes 232 carparking spaces with six disability parks, shade structures, a click n’ collect drive through with six collection bays, and electronic vehicle charging stations.
“By increasing local shopping options, the development supports community convenience and affordability, allowing residents to better meet their household needs without additional travel costs,” the application said.
“The proposed development reinforces Charters Towers’ role as a regional service hub, improving its attractiveness to both local residents and visitors as a retail and service destination.
“The development will attract new retailers and operators to Charters Towers, fostering further economic growth and encouragement investment in the region.”
A spokeswoman for Goldtower Properties said the company wanted to see Charters Towers CBD flourish and develop further, and provided a study by AEC Group completed last year, showing that Charters Towers was projected to grow in population in the next four years, especially considering the construction of the CopperString transmission line.
But the study showed that more could be done for Charters Towers to keep the wealth it generated.
It was estimated that Charters Towers residents spent an estimated $292.3m on goods and services but that only $100m of that was spent in the town, while 31 per cent of the $123.1m of retail trade spent by households was spent locally.
Only a quarter of the $18m spent on food services, such as fast food, takeaway and at cafes, was spent locally.
According to the study nine out of 10 respondents in a survey said they shopped outside of Charters Towers, with half of them doing so on a monthly basis, and Townsville was the main alternative destination.
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Originally published as Coles supermarket application submitted to Charters Towers Regional Council
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