Panel approves $22m Woolworths shopping precinct in Brabham

A multi-million dollar shopping precinct anchored by Woolworths has been approved despite local government opposition.

Fabcot, the development arm of Woolworths Group, has proposed building a retail center with a supermarket and 10 tenants at 822 Youle-Dean Road in Brabham.

The Metro External Development Review Panel approved the project, estimated to cost $22 million, at its meeting on Wednesday.

The City of Swan recommended the development plan be rejected, claiming a lack of safe pedestrian connections and inconsistencies with the Brabham regional center precinct structure plan.

Swan City councilor Rod Henderson was the only panel member to vote against the application, citing traffic issues.

“The applicant needs to go and fully evaluate these,” he said at the meeting.

“There’s only part of the story here and they need to go back to the drawing board.”

Despite the opposition, four of the panel’s five members voted to approve the proposed Woolworths at Brabham.

Panel chair member Eugene Koltasz acknowledged concerns about the Youle-Dean Road running through the proposed centre.

“It is not uncommon for main roads to pass through town centres… [like] “There is traffic passing through Joondalup centre, Whitford centre,” he said.

“These things are happening, maybe it’s sad.

“[But] “This space has gone through several years of iterations.”

The proposed Woolworths supermarket will occupy 3,732 square meters and the total net lettable area of ​​the shopping center is estimated at 4,968 square metres.

Urbis compiled the development application on behalf of Fabcot.

“The proposal is being considered as a catalyst for community development as part of the continued growth of the retail town center Brabham,” the application said.