Plans to convert the existing Bi-Lo supermarket at Yamba Shopping Fair to a full-line Coles supermarket have  been submitted to Clarence Valley Council. If given the go-ahead, the major upgrade could be completed by as early as September 2010.

The $4 million work to the centre would bring an additional 1,000 square meters of supermarket floor space, a new undercover entry structure, a second enterance to Coles at the northern end of the building, kiosk, an upgraded service lane and weather protected parking access. The application to council also proposes the construction of a new bus shelter and taxi set-down in Treelands Drive.

 Coles Supermarkets, which owns the Bi-Lo chain, has named Yamba in the top three outlets between Yamba and northern queensland to be upgraded.

The owner of the shopping centre, Westlawn Property Trust, has been in negotiations with Coles for over three years. The trust has finalised an agreement for a 20-year lease with options for 20 more years.

"The bigger the supermarket, the bigger the draw to the shopping centre" Westlawn Property Trust portfolio manager Peter Burge Said.

Owner of Causley's Fruits and vegetables, Karl Causley, who hs been a lessee at the centre for three years, said improvements would have a flow-on effect to the rest of the businesses and was not threatened by the expansion. "Although the big guys have the buying power, there are advantages of having a smaller speciality shop. I can walk through my shop and do a price check in half a minute and have new stock in a day, whereas the large chains take days to react" Mr Causley said.

A reshuffle of existing businesses within the centre and the realignment of its internal structure have been in process for the past year. When complete, the shopping centre will have only one shop available for lease.

To download a copy of the expansion poster > Click Here