FAIRBROTHER, PLEASE EXPLAIN

Bizarre twist in Shearwater development

By Guy Barnett
Monday 13 May 2013

“The Chief Executive Officer of Fairbrother supports a new town centre at Shearwater while Royce Fairbrother, the Fairbrother Chairman and Devonport Living City Taskforce Chairman supports consolidation in Devonport. It must pose quite a quandary for the Fairbrother group. We would like a full explanation as a priority, said Guy Barnett, Save Our Seaside Village group spokesperson.

“In a bizarre twist in plans for a new Shearwater town centre on the weekend the Fairbrother CEO Mr Craig Edmunds was reported (Advocate 11 May) saying construction would soon begin on the new town centre shopping centre which would be anchored by a Woolworths supermarket.

“It seems all sensible town planning advice is to consolidate as they are planning in Devonport and yet in Shearwater a new town centre is proceeding 700 metres up the road from the existing town centre, said Mr Barnett.

“Together with our independent expert town planning advice we supported new development within the existing town centre that will enhance our town and enrich our community, not an out-dated proposal that will split Shearwater in two. This development will be a missed opportunity that is likely to cause untold grief.

“The Latrobe Council continues to refuse to remove its anti-competitive prohibition on development in the existing town centre, said Mr Barnett.

“The existing baker, newsagent, chemist, butcher, bottle-shop and supermarket are prohibited from competing with any new retailers up the road. There is no level playing field in Shearwater. The Shearwater town centre has been frozen in time by the Council. The Council agreement with the developer was signed just 6 weeks after this prohibition on development was introduced. We call again on the Council to remove this prohibition.

“Although work on the site has commenced and the Council approved the development application last November the plans have still not been released. The public don’t get a look in on this development although it is all happening before their very eyes”, Mr Barnett concluded.

Guy Barnett