A shopping centre at Boorooma has finally been given the green light, in news that has been welcomed by residents who have been waiting decades for a project to come through.
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On Monday, council approved an application for an eight-shop development on the Messenger Avenue and Phar Lap Place site submitted by the Catholic Diocese of Wagga Wagga.
The developers say the huge step forward in approval means the shops are likely to be operational within about 12 months, with businesses to be locked in shortly.
Peter Fitzpatrick manages property for the Diocese and said they are thrilled with the news and are currently in the process of securing a building contractor.
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"I am currently going out to tender for a building contract," Mr Fitzpatrick said. "As soon as that comes back in we'll be able to fire it all up."
"It's exciting, it's another step forward to being able to provide some new facilities at Boorooma, Estella, Gobba and we're looking forward to getting underway as soon as possible."
Under the approved development, licensing hours for eight shops have been granted between 6AM and 9PM, signage has been allowed with strict conditions to avoid distractions for drivers and certain road changes including the installation of a second lane from Avocet Road onto the Boorooma Road and Messenger Place roundabout have been stipulated.
Fitzpatrick's Real Estate's Greg Howick said while he couldn't yet confirm which shops will go in, he expects the focus will be on "family, food and drinks" and that the shops will be ready to go within the year.
"It all comes back to weather - projects are being held up at the moment, but I would probably say June through to September next year it will be done," he said.
Northern suburb residents are thrilled with some concrete news from the long-awaited development, saying they almost can't believe shops in the northern suburbs are finally on the horizon.
Paul Schneider has been living in Estella for more than 20 years and said a shopping precinct has been promised since they first moved in.
"I can't believe they finally approved it," Mr Schneider said. "When we first moved here a shopping centre was 'coming soon', 'it wasn't far off' and 25 years later it still wasn't here."
President of the Estella Progress Association Bruce Durham said he and other residents were delighted with the update.
"I think people will be jumping for joy, it's been coming for so long," he said. "That news is fantastic. We've just been dying for something over this side of the river."
Mr Durham added the approval of the development application after years of false starts on various projects in the area gave him more hope in this project than others before it.
"I'm sure this will change the community's confidence in the project," he said. "That [development application] is what holds up things and now that it's flowing through council, everyone will be much happier I think."
Under the development approval, an eight-shop specialty mall with some signage will be permitted for the corner of Messenger Avenue and Phar Lap Place in Boorooma. Images of the proposed design were submitted with the initial application documents earlier this year.
The shops are part of a larger shopping precinct planned for the site for which an application for a petrol station has been submitted, and where Mr Fitzpatrick confirmed a supermarket will also be installed.
The petrol station application includes plans for a convenience store, bottle shop and dog wash but so far the specialty shops are the only application to be approved.
Mr Howick said the reason the project has gone through now after years of discussions, is thanks to the recent boom in the northern suburbs which he said proved a shopping spot is a viable investment.
"We're at the situation that we're viable and that's what has been the delay," Mr Horwitz said. "The fact that 90 per cent of the future development in the city will be in the northern suburbs means it's become a viable project, you cant get finance otherwise."
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