HomePort Geraldton development set to begin as local contractor appointed to install fencing and signage

Developers planning a new homemaker centre on Geraldton’s outskirts — with Spudshed set to be the main tenant — say activity on the site will start within a matter of weeks now a local contractor has been appointed to install fencing and signage. Spud king Tony Galati revealed earlier this year the next regional Spudshed would “probably” be in Geraldton and envisaged it would be open by mid-2024. It has since been promoted as the main tenant for a new homemaker centre on Horwood Road, formerly home to the old Ridge Cafe, now proposed to become HomePort Geraldton. Development manager Mike Fitzgerald said despite the development application yet to be lodged, the project was moving forward with an early works package that would result in construction starting in the next six weeks. “Because we’ve got two subdivision approvals already granted, we do have an envelope of development rights,” he said. “We’re going to get on with a separate portion of that work that we can do subject to a building licence, and that’ll be in the next few days.” Mr Fitzgerald said it had been a long time coming but reaffirmed it was a serious development and developers were “pulling the trigger”. “There’ll be activity on site, construction fencing going up in the next two, three weeks I would think, so I’m quite excited that finally we’re at this point,” he said. Mr Fitzgerald said he was finalising the logos to run along construction fencing and had appointed local contractor Red Dust Holdings to conduct the works. “We don’t want to be looked at as Perth developers, because we’re not. We’re using regional builders, we’re using local contractors and that’s the only way we’re doing it,” he said. Modifications to the Geraldton development have included changing the glass walls to something more functional to keep produce as fresh as possible. “Ordinarily we would go with a nice glass facade to make the shopping centre light and airy, but we just can’t do that with the west-facing building,” Mr Fitzgerald said. Other design aspects include underground sewerage that will feed storm water into garden beds, a series of dams running down the gradient and automatic doors at delivery bays . The developers hope to submit a development application in the coming weeks.