Developer Steve Short of Frasers Papamoa hopes to have a retail centre up-and-running at the entrance to the Coast Papamoa Beach
Developer Steve Short of Frasers Papamoa hopes to have a retail centre up-and-running at the entrance to the Coast Papamoa Beach
THE developer of a planned $8 million shopping centre at Papamoa is seeking to expand the complex by nearly half to accommodate the area's rapid growth.
By the time Coast Papamoa Beach had obtained consent for a village-style 1900sq m retail complex, so many years had rolled by that thedeveloper realised it was too small.
It led to a fresh application to the city council to add another 880sq m to the commercial floor area. Independent commissioner Alan Watson will hear arguments for and against the application today.
The shopping centre will be sited on Coast Boulevard at the entrance to the residential and commercial development off Papamoa Beach Rd.
Developer Steve Short told the Bay Plenty Times that they wanted to add a medical centre and pharmacy, three specialist stores and two small cafes or restaurants. It would also house two apartments above the medical centre.
He explained that when they first applied to the council in 2010, the economic report called for a retail floor area of 1900sq m. But by the time the application had dragged through to the Environment Court and approved last February, there had been substantial growth in the area and construction was well under way for the Eastern Arterial.
In addition, a new medium-rise policy in the council's City Plan allowing multi-storeyed developments had been approved, introducing the prospect of higher density housing.
Mr Short said 7500 people were already living within a 1.5km radius of Coast Papamoa and their development would add another 2000 people.
Neighbouring Sandhurst Drive would also form an interchange with the Eastern Arterial, putting the shopping centre into an even stronger position for customers.
The application has been recommended for approval by the council's consents team leader, Brad Bellamy. He said the actual and potential adverse effects on the environment would be acceptable.
Referring to concerns by objector Nga Potiki that the height of the buildings would impact on view shafts from the Tamapahore Marae and kaumatua units at Mangatawa, Mr Bellamy said the City Plan did protect views to Mauao from marae and public and historic places.
The applicant did not seek to construct buildings beyond the City Plan's height limits and there were no identified view shafts that covered this site, he said. Mr Bellamy was also satisfied that there would be enough carparks to meet the demands of shoppers and that it would not impact on the function of Papamoa Beach Rd.
