Woolworths Gordonvale

Fabcot Pty Ltd, the property development arm of Woolworths, sought approval for a new local centre at the corner of Bruce Highway and Draper Road in Gordonvale. The site sits on the western side of the highway in the Mt Peter growth corridor. It serves the new residential estates to the south and west and traffic on the highway.

The development includes a 3,200 square metre supermarket, specialty retail tenancies and a kiosk, service station and a drive-thru restaurant. Shopping facilities total 2,417 square metres of gross floor area, with on-site parking, loading areas and landscaped buffers.

The challenge

Planning history: Council refused an earlier retail application on the land. The applicant appealed to the Planning and Environment Court, which granted a preliminary approval. That approval set the framework, and the conditions, for any future development permit.

Matching the court approval: the tenant’s requirements had changed since the court plans, including addition of fuel. The updated design had to stay within the approved floor area and conditions.

Highway frontage: the site adjoins the State-controlled Bruce Highway, so the application needed State concurrence and a safe access arrangement.

Neighbour amenity: the centre adjoins future residential land, so loading, plant and late-night trading needed acoustic protection.

Our role

• Prepared and lodged the planning report and application for a Material Change of Use.
• Reviewed the court’s conditions and responded to each one relevant to the application.
• Held pre-lodgement meetings with Cairns Regional Council, the State Assessment Referral Agency and the Department of Transport and Main Roads.
• Coordinated the architectural, service station, engineering, traffic, landscape and survey inputs from CCN Architects, TFA Project Group. Projex Partners, Andrew Prowse Landscape Architect and RPS.
• Managed the State referral and concurrence response through to decision.

What was approved

• A 3,200 square metre supermarket with a rear loading dock reached by a separate service road.
• Specialty retail tenancies, a kiosk and covered outdoor dining, totalling 4,217 square metres if shopping facilities.
• A 235 square metre service station with four dual-use bowsers.
• A 320 square metre drive-thru restaurant with outdoor dining.
• A new left-turn slip lane and exit ramp from the Bruce Highway, with all exits via a roundabout on Fisher Road.
• Acoustic walls and barriers of 2.5 to 4 metres to the loading dock and boundaries, plus an enclosed rooftop plant deck.
• Supermarket and retail trading seven days a week, and 24-hour operation for the service station. The restaurant can also trade 24 hours, subject to residential setbacks on the adjoining land.
• Parking for the shopping facilities at 5 spaces per 100 square metres of lettable area, plus bicycle parking for at least 24 bicycles.