October 30, 2015
Blackbutt’s new supermarket – most likely an IGA or SPAR – should be open and trading midway through 2016.
South Burnett mayor Wayne Kratzmann told southburnett.com.au on Friday he had met with developer Steven Maller at Jandowae last week.
Mr Maller is currently building a new supermarket in that town and plans to start on the Blackbutt project as soon as the Jandowae one is finished.
“The Jandowae supermarket should open in early December,” Mayor Kratzmann said.
“This means he will start on Blackbutt straight after Christmas. Hopefully it will be open in June or July.”
Mayor Kratzmann said Mr Maller was yet to submit a planning application to Council, but had already purchased a lot of the fittings for the Blackbutt development, including refrigeration equipment.
His planners and Council planners will meet with Department of Transport and Main Roads representatives next Friday to iron out some of the final details.
On Thursday, Mayor Kratzmann met some of the key stakeholders in Blackbutt, including members of the Blackbutt Memorial Hall Committee and the Historical Society, to discuss the project.
He said the first thing Mr Maller would be organising was moving the Memorial Hall to the reserve at the head of the rail trail, near Nukku Nook.
“The developer is responsible for moving it and putting it up as a serviceable hall,” Mayor Kratzmann said.
“I am looking at forming a hall relocation committee – separate to the hall committee – to make sure it is put in the right spot, where the community wants it, and organise landscaping etc.”
Mayor Kratzmann said Mr Maller was keen to talk to members of the Blackbutt community, especially the Historical Society, to make sure the new building fits in with the “Timber Town” look of Blackbutt.
Which franchise is chosen to operate the supermarket would be up to the developer, but Mayor Kratzmann said he did not believe it would be a Coles or a Woolworths because the town’s population was too small.
Advertisements have started appearing online for employees for Mr Maller’s Jandowae supermarket which indicate a SPAR franchise is going into that building.
Mayor Kratzmann said he had been impressed when he had inspected the Jandowae project.
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Congratulations Kratzie, SBRC and the Blackbutt community. Another win chalked up for the bucket list. You’re going to be a hard act to follow and live up to.