EXCLUSIVE
MOUNT Gambier’s construction boom shows no signs of slowing with a South Australian retail juggernaut set to pour more than $5.2m into two new developments.
On The Run (OTR) has been issued planning approvals for both its Penola Road and Jubilee Highway East projects.
The company is expected to begin construction works shortly once all approvals are finalised by state planning assessors and Mount Gambier City Council.
The developments come as a cluster of national retailers roll-out multi-million dollar projects in the Blue Lake city, including retail giants Coles, ALDI and KFC.
“We have great confidence in the Limestone Coast region,” OTR operations general manager Darryl Cotter said.
“With Mount Gambier being South Australia’s largest regional city and a hub for south-eastern SA and south-western Victoria, Mount Gambier is a natural expansion opportunity for OTR.”
Once construction began, he said the company aimed to complete each site within 26 weeks.
“We expect OTR Jubilee Highway West to open in mid-2020, with OTR Penola Road to follow in or around the end of 2020,” the company executive said.
“During the construction we anticipate 50 jobs will be created for the duration and up to 60 ongoing roles across the two stores.”
When all approvals were in place, he said the company would appoint contractors with a view to starting construction in late 2019 or early 2020.
“We will call for expressions of interest from local building contractors and ask our building contractors to source materials and will use local sub-contractors wherever possible,” Mr Cotter said.
“We intend to construct the Ramsay Avenue site first and followed shortly thereafter by Penola Road.”
Mr Cotter said these new developments would expand retail offerings in the Blue Lake city.
“The new OTR Jubilee Highway East will give drivers, including truckies, heading east on National Highway 1 a range of new facilities and will allow us to better serve our wholesale fuel customers,” he explained.
“It will bring Krispy Kreme and its original glazed doughnuts, to Mount Gambier for the first time.”
He said the new OTR Penola Road would “dramatically” improve the range and quality on offer in this important central city location.
“The existing OTR at Penola Road will be replaced by a completely new, more spacious OTR taking in the current site and extending as far as the Wyatt Street corner,” Mr Cotter said.
The project will also a see new entry and exit to Wyatt Street, increased car parking and better vehicle movement paths to ensure quicker and easier access for customers.
A new vehicle auto-wash will be built on site.
Meanwhile, the new OTR at Jubilee Highway East will have access from Ramsay Avenue and will include a standard full-range fuel canopy and a separate diesel canopy for heavy vehicles.
The design also includes a truckie’s lounge and courtyard to provide dedicated rest and shower facilities for truckies.
“To the rear of the site, a fuel depot, warehouse and loading areas will improve our ability to serve local businesses through our wholesale fuels division,” Mr Cotter said.
“The new OTR Jubilee Highway East will include production facilities and a dine-in area for Krispy Kreme.”
For OTR Penola Road, an updated set of plans is before the State Commission Assessment Panel and approval is expected in the near future.
Meanwhile, Mount Gambier City Council is considering revisions to the approved plans at the Jubilee Highway East project related to the fuel depot.
“Approval is expected in the near future,” Mr Cotter said.
OTR Penola Road has a $2.5m construction cost, plus additional investment in fitting out the store.
For OTR Jubilee Highway East, the investment is about $2.7m in construction costs, plus additional fit-out costs.
OTR is owned and operated by a South Australian company.
It has 145 petrol and convenience stores across metropolitan and rural South Australia, employing more than 3100
people.
