FRANKSTON councillors have agreed to transfer a road to the owners of a shopping complex for $1 per land title.
Councillors have approved a proposal to discontinue the roads within the Towerhill Shopping Complex. Council says the move will bring the opening of an upgraded Ritchies at the centre one step closer.
Cr Brad Hill said “under the Local Government Act 1989, a road discontinuance is different from a road closure. A road closure provides for a council to block or restrict the passage or access of vehicles on a road by the placing of a barrier or obstruction. In this case the proposed discontinuance is not intended to prohibit access, consistent with the associated town planning approval for a redevelopment of the supermarket.”
“The proposed discontinuance will merely remove the road status from land, which is already in private ownership. Any future changes to access would require council town planning approval.”
Cr Hill said that access to the shopping complex will not be affected by the discontinuance.
The supermarket redevelopment is scheduled to be completed by December 2022. Ritchies CEO Fred Harrison said “the $12 million redevelopment is anticipated to increase staff at the supermarket from the current figure of 50 up to approximately 120 employees. “
“The store will offer a new sushi kiosk, an artisan bakery and a full line delicatessen. The car park will be reconfigured, resurfaced, landscaped and well lit, to maximise pedestrian safety,” he said. “There will be no changes to current access and egress points to the complex via the existing Golf Links Rd, Frankston-Flinders Rd, Bondi Ave, and Bruce Rd entries and exits will remain and use by customers of the car park will continue to be free of charge.”
