What traders really want

By Melissa Grant
A CINEMA, Medicare centre and toilets are what traders want included at the long-awaited Pakenham Civic Precinct development.
Other popular requests in the Pakenham Gazette trader survey included family-friendly retailers Kmart and Big W.
Kmart was included in the site’s original plans, before Consolidated Properties Group abandoned its plans in August to develop a $40 million retail hub.
The Gazette understands that the Cardinia Shire Council is close to striking a deal with a developer for the sale of council-owned land behind Treloar Lane.
Two-thirds of survey respondents said they were in favour of a large-scale retail development at the Pakenham Library site.
Those against, 21.6 per cent, believed such a complex would only further segregate shopping in Pakenham.
Of the 51 traders who completed the survey, 11.8 per cent didn’t respond or weren’t sure whether the development would benefit the town. Pakenham Optical owner Warren Cawcutt: “We don’t need it. Pakenham retail is becoming too spread out as it is.”
However, the majority of traders disagreed.
Pakenham Sports Power owner Richard Fromhold said the parcel of land on Treloar Lane was the best site for such a large-scale development.
“We would only be in favour of a large shopping centre at the rear of the library to ensure that it is not built in a different area of Pakenham such as the old Consolidated School site or near the new Bunnings, which would segregate shopping further,” he said.
Meagan Clark, of Hair of the Dog Barber Shop, said the proposed development would keep Pakenham traders in close proximity.
She hoped that Kmart and either Myer or David Jones would commit to the site as well as some quality restaurants.
Other suggestions included Spotlight and Aldi as well as shoe, fashion and jewellery stores.