The declaration came yesterday as developer John Kosseris announced the purchase of the final piece of land needed to proceed with the $53 million Riviera Shopping Centre.

Mr Kosseris pointed to the newly-added “sold” signs on the former John Oxley Motel site in Macquarie Street to show the momentum of the project, which gained development approval last month.

With control of the land bounded by Macquarie, Bultje, Bligh and Cobra streets, the focus shifted to tenants for the five-storey shopping and accommodation complex.

Mr Kosseris, representing Penrith Mega Homebase, of which his wife is a director, spoke readily about negotiating with a number of stores, including those that Dubbo shoppers have frequently told the Daily Liberal they wanted to come to the city.

The one-time owner of the former Dubbo RAAF base revealed Penrith Mega Homebase was in possession of two letters of offer from two major department stores, “one of which (was) ALDI”.

He also reported negotiations with three greengrocers, including Harris Farm Markets.

The fruit and vegetable company earlier this week announced it would start an online ordering service for Dubbo customers, involving pick-up from the former RAAF base, now owned by Andorra Developments.

Mr Kosseris said he could not say he was confident of securing Harris Farm Markets for Riviera, but he also noted the RAAF base was not appropriately zoned for a store.

“This (the area including the Riviera purchase) is the retail centre, the council has been smart enough to rezone it for that,” he said.

“It’s a great location, the centre of Dubbo, and it will give the main street a new revitalization.

“We have a development application approved to house all the players that need to come to Dubbo in the major suppliers.”

Cr Shields was by the side of Mr Kosseris during the press conference and spoke in harmony with the developer’s message.

The councillor, who is relieving in the top job while Cr Mathew Dickerson is on holidays, pushed the cause of the development.

“This is the perfect site for a Kmart, it’s the perfect site for an ALDI, indeed it’s a perfect site for a Harris Farm Markets and even a JB Hi-Fi,” he said.

“The difference between this and other sites in Dubbo is this is legal right now, it’s ready to go.

“Now that we’ve got news from Mr Kosseris that all the property’s been bought, it’s ready to go and indeed let’s make it happen.”

Cr Shields campaigned at the recent election with the slogan “let them come”, referring to retailers.

“The new LEP (local environment plan) clearly made this area 

of town a growth area for future retail and once this building is up and running... it’s going to be the biggest and best building in Dubbo,” he said.

“This really will be the jewel in the crown for Dubbo, it’s going to make Dubbo stand out among every other city in western NSW.”

Cr Shields said his position did not contradict his support for Harris Farm Markets’ arrangement to use the site uptown.

“No, I support having a drop-off site for Harris Farm Markets at the RAAF base, it’s a great site for them to test their market for an internet drop-off site,” he said.

“However the legal ramifications and the changes that would be required to get it zoned retail is just so hard, and indeed it’s years away, possibly even a decade away.

“If Dubbo wants to grow, if Dubbo wants to let them come, this is the site right now.”

faye.wheeler@ruralpress.com