STOP WORK: Work on the Summer Centre development is falling behind schedule. Photo: JUDE KEOGH 1009summer1
WORK on the Summer Centre has come to a standstill with developer PrimeSpace refusing to comment on the future of the shopping centre complex.
Orange councillor Reg Kidd told the Central Western Daily he wanted answers as to why work on the shopping centre and the accompanying Quest Serviced Apartments development appears to have stopped only weeks before it was originally due to be completed.
Cr Kidd said this week he asked council’s general manager Garry Styles to provide councillors with a briefing on delays at the Summer Street development.
“There’s a lot of interest out there in the community, people want to know what’s going on,” Cr Kidd said.
Cr Kidd said rumours about the centre were circulating around the city and it was time ratepayers were given the full story.
“Some people are saying Dan Murphy’s will open up first before the other work is done,” he said.
“But there are all sorts of issues with that ... that would have to be approved by council.”
Councillor Neil Jones said he too wanted to know what was happening with the development.
“There appears to be a complete lack of progress,” Cr Jones said.
“I’m as concerned as anybody else about what’s going on there.”
Mr Jones said it would be shame to see the multimillion dollar project not proceed as a shopping centre was knocked down to make way for the new development.
Council spokesperson Allan Reeder said council staff had not been informed of any changes to the Summer Centre project.
The proprietors of the Canton Chinese Restaurant, which is due to be relocated to an adjacent building as part of the development plans, said they had not been contacted by PrimeSpace regarding the construction delays.
PrimeSpace did not return the Central Western Daily’s calls.
tracey.prisk@ruralpress.com