Eaton Fair gets nod for mega expansion

Commercial developments at Eaton Fair, Treendale and Dalyellup will give South West consumers more options than ever before as more people flock to the growing region.

Developer Geoff Prosser received the last of the necessary approvals for Eaton Fair in late December, meaning the 29,000sq m development was on track to become the biggest shopping centre this side of the metropolitan area.

Eaton Fair’s $65 million facelift will include a discount department store, cinema, second supermarket, and a pedestrian mall, with a carpark catering for more than 600 vehicles.

Mr Prosser said after protracted negotiations all planning hurdles had been overcome.

‘‘But I guess I’m used to the inordinate planning delays in the whole process but I have to say, this development could not have been achieved within this timeframe, which is a long timeframe, without the positive working relationship with Dardanup shire,’’ he said.

‘‘There had been a keen response from those that want to set up a discount department store and second supermarket, simply because of the growth in that corridor to Bunbury.’’

Deputy shire president Michael Bennett said the shire was ecstatic to have a commercial development of the scale of Eaton Fair.

He said the region as a whole would benefit particularly as more young families moved to the area.

However, Bunbury Mayor David Smith fears the new shopping complexes could severely affect retail trade in the struggling CBD, arguing there would be an oversupply in the market, attracting more service providers out of the city centre.

He said the greatest threat to the CBD was the WA Department of Planning’s Activity Centre Policy, which meant the more non-retail tenants a centre had the more square metres it could develop.

‘‘The district centres of Eaton Fair, Treendale and Dalyellup, which can’t be far away, are too close to each other and will provide a surplus of retail space,’’ he said.

‘‘The cinemas, restaurants and bars will be competing with each other.’’

Mr Smith said he was not opposed to the Treendale development as it would not have a significant affect on the CBD.

‘‘It would attract customers from the Australind shopping centre and not the CBD,’’ he said.

‘‘Eaton Fair and Dalyellup however would be real competition to the CBD.’’

Mr Smith said the expansion of Eaton Fair also set a precedent and there was ‘‘no reason Treendale couldn’t also be expanded’’.

Developers Kevin and Terry Coote secured Woolworths as anchor tenant of Treendale, which has 7300sq m of nett retail space.

They claim the location has become one of Australind’s most desirable residential areas with nearly $5 million spent on parks, two kilometres of river frontage, bigger than average residential blocks and a new town centre under construction.