Round Shop Site Revival

Above Image:  Concept Landscape Design by LatStudios

It's Happening!  The developers Nerinda Pty Ltd have won their court cases and the development of the round shop site on the corner of Boundary Road and Panorama Drive Thornlands is set to proceed. Paradise Gardens shopping precinct will be a substantial redevelopment of the site and will incorporate shops, tavern, takeaway food along with a second stage residential development. 

​Any long time locals will affectionately remember the old round shop that was a local icon and land mark. Long before shopping centers, Thursday night shopping and 24/7 convenience stores the Round Shop was the local go-to for all the essential needs. Groceries, bait and tackle, ice, petrol, kerosene, the paper, smokes (back when everyone smoked) and even automotive and hardware. It was your one stop shop!  Across the road was the bakery and on the Woodlands Drive corner was Mary in the old wooden floored post office. 

I grew up on Boundary Road in the 70's. So we regularly visited the Round Shop for supplies and fuel. I can still remember petrol being 20c and standard being 15c.  For a traded in glass coke bottle we used to get 25c and in those days that got you a massive bag of mixed lollies. Dad would even ride me up in the back of the old HQ V8 ute.  

Then progress happened and some MUPPET decided that the road needed to be widened. The shop and the house was resumed and demolished.  We were left with a flashy intersection with lights and a vacant lot that was eventually farmed.  

The Author Jason Marshall in the 70's

So what's going to be built you ask? Well, I am happy to say we are getting an upgrade. According to the publicly available court documents:

• A 4,100m² “full-line” supermarket;
• 1,600m² of specialty shops, including a 500m² retail warehouse (discount chemist);
• 850m² family tavern;
• 225m² medical centre;
• 100m² service station; and
• parking for 374 vehicles.

 
Now my guess is that all of this may change a little by the time it is actually built. As a commercial real estate agent, my investigative journalism skills are somewhat lacking but I have concluded from all my research and reading that there will be a two stage development approach. First, build the commercial/retail spaces and then move onto stage two which will be the residential component at the rear of the site. Nice to see that there will be plenty of green spaces.   

What I can guarantee you is that not everyone will be happy to see this development happen. Pretty sure the Victoria Point Shopping Centre won't be jumping for joy and it could put some serious pressure on local icons like "The Nook".  That and some people wake up and just decide to wear their 'moaning hat' every day, pick a topic, and hang on until death.  For my part, as a local of 50 years, I thinks it's a good thing. And note that I have no connection with the development. But if you are the developer and you are reading this...YOU SHOULD CALL US.

Small observation. 

I couldn't help note that in the pictures (see the one on the right) in the development application it sure looks like a deal may have been done with the flower farm next door for future expansion.  That or someone didn't draw the road through the back of the property correctly? 

​So stay tuned I guess!  

​Story by Jason Marshall

​Sources: 
-  Redland City Council development portal - PD Online
-  LatStudios website - https://www.latstudios.com.au/projects/thornlands-master-plan 
-  Queensland Judgments - https://www.queenslandjudgments.com.au/caselaw/qca/2018/146