The people behind Estella's long-awaited shopping centre are "confident" they have taken the next step in a $12 million development that could bring Chemist Warehouse to Wagga.
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Residents of the city's expanding northern suburbs have waited a decade for the shopping complex proposed for the corner of Avocet Drive and Rainbow Drive, which has been hindered by financial and planning hurdles.
Raine and Horne commercial manager Craig Tait said he and the developer, local supermarket tycoon Stuart Webster, were confident construction would start on the site by the middle of the year.
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Mr Tait said business operators had shown "pretty huge interest" in the complex that will house 10 outlets including a bottle shop, hairdresser and butcher.
He said Chemist Warehouse was "definitely interested" in operating the pharmacy, which if confirmed would please residents who have called for the discount mega-chain to open in Wagga.
It comes after expressions of interest were sought from other businesses, with Raine and Horne advertising Foodworks and Chemist Warehouse as key tenants in the complex.
Mr Tait said the developer had switched lenders within the past six months and was in the final stages of securing funding after earlier set-backs.
"We've just submitted some more documentation to them for approval. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks we should have all of that documentation finalised and then it's just a matter of waiting," Mr Tait said.
"We're pretty confident that something will happen in the next couple of months."
Chemist Warehouse did not respond to a request for comment.
Mr Tait said Mr Webster was interested in operating the supermarket in the complex, with two local building contactors in the final running for the construction tender.
Committee 4 Wagga chair Justeen Kirk said the shopping centre would be "a huge asset" to residents on the northern side of the Gobbagombalin Bridge.
"Having lived out there for a period of time, to get home and realise you forgot bread and milk and have to come all the way back into town was a nightmare," she said.
Estella Progress Association president Bruce Durham welcomed news the project had progressed but said he wanted to see construction begin after years of false starts.
Resident James Whiteley agreed. saying the shopping centre had been "a long time coming" after "a lot of rumours".
"I don't want to get too excited until we start to see some movement at the site ... but it's good news its going in the right direction," he said.
Catie McLeod
Catie is a reporter at The Daily Advertiser covering health and Wagga City Council. You can contact her on c.mcleod@dailyadvertiser.com.au or 0475 819 651.
Catie is a reporter at The Daily Advertiser covering health and Wagga City Council. You can contact her on c.mcleod@dailyadvertiser.com.au or 0475 819 651.
