Supermarket retailer IGA will return to the Giralang shops, signing on as the operator for the long-awaited project.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The 1000-square-metre supermarket will have a strong focus on fresh produce, the incoming franchisee said.
The announcement comes as construction gets underway at the Canopus Crescent site.
TP Dynamics announced it had purchased the development site in October from Giralang Property Group, who had owned it since the 1970s.
The sale marked a new chapter for residents of the Belconnen suburb, who have been without a shopping centre since 2005.
It also marks a return to the area for the IGA brand, which was the last grocery retailer at the site.
Since it closed, delays, legal proceedings and an ACT Legislative Assembly inquiry plagued the project, leaving residents without a local centre for nearly two decades.
IGA franchisee Jim Singh, whose company Delek Group operates service stations in Canberra, said he hoped the "long-awaited" supermarket would be welcomed by the community.
"Once TP Dynamics brought this opportunity to us, we were very excited to be a part of this development," he said.
Mr Singh said the group's "main focus is on fresh produce" for the new supermarket, which he hopes will open by February next year.
IGA will be one of seven commercial tenants to occupy the ground-floor retail area.
TP Dynamics project manager Kenneth Kong said a mix of retail operators are being sought for the remaining shops.
"We expect cafes, hairdressers, bakeries - these are the tenancy mix that we're looking for," he said.
"I think the supermarket and the cafe is the big one for the community in Giralang so we really want to deliver that because they've been waiting for so long."
To be called G Plus, a residential component with 50 apartments will span three levels above the retail development.
Prices will range from $469,000 to $949,000 and apartments types will include one-, two- and three-bedroom options.
Completion of the entire project is slated for early next year, Mr Kong said.
We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.