Coles - Glebe Hill Village, Howrah

Client: Tipalea Partners
Builder: Fairbrother Pty Ltd
Structural and Civil Engineer: Collective Consulting
Key Personnel: Alan Leake (Principal Structural Engineer)
Completion: 2022
Value: ≈ $40 million
Location: Intersection of South Arm Highway and Pass Road, Howrah

Delivering Hobart's First New Neighbourhood Centre in a Decade

Glebe Hill Village is a 6,000m² Coles anchored neighbourhood shopping centre in Howrah, 8 kilometres east of Hobart's CBD. The $40 million development by Tipalea Partners delivered the first new neighbourhood retail centre in metropolitan Hobart in over a decade, providing vital retail infrastructure to one of the eastern shore's fastest-growing communities. The centre comprises a full-line Coles supermarket, 18 specialty shops in an air-conditioned mall, a 24-hour McDonald's drive-through, and 260 on-grade car spaces.

Collective provided structural and civil engineering design documentation and certification for the project. Initially commissioned by Tipalea Partners to develop a reference design for a design and construct contract, this early involvement enabled the development of an efficient structural system aligned with architectural requirements from the outset. When Fairbrother was appointed as the successful tenderer, they engaged Collective for the completion of detailed design, working closely with Fairbrother's project and construction managers to optimise the structure and deliver significant cost savings.

Engineering Challenges

The greenfield site at the intersection of the South Arm Highway and Pass Road presented significant engineering constraints due to its steep topography, requiring innovative solutions to create a level foundation for retail and parking structures adjacent to established residential areas.

• Steep Site Levelling: Creating a level building pad on a steeply sloping site required extensive earthworks to establish a building footprint of approximately 6,000m² plus a 260 space on-grade car park and ancillary structures including fast food outlets.
• Retaining Wall Design: The site necessitated retaining walls up to five metres in height to support the parking area on the downslope, requiring careful evaluation of multiple wall systems to balance structural performance against cost.
• Erosion and Drainage Control: Steep batters where the site cut into the natural landscape demanded effective erosion control measures and drainage solutions, developed in consultation with geotechnical engineers to mitigate the need for costly high retaining walls.
• Smart-Technology Integration: The centre incorporates a full solar array, EV charging stations, smart-metering systems, and real-time air quality monitoring — adding complexity to the structural design for equipment mounting, conduit routing, and roof loading.

Structural and Civil Design

Collective evaluated a range of retaining wall alternatives including precast concrete and gravity walls. Mass block gravity retaining walls with no-fines concrete backfill, varying from two to five metres, were identified as the optimal solution after detailed discussions with the contractor. Vertiblock walls were utilised in less critical areas, providing a visually appealing finish at lower cost where wall heights permitted.

These measures collectively facilitated the creation of a level pad on what was otherwise a steeply sloping site, maximising cost-effectiveness while accommodating the 260 space car park, covered walkways, and public art canopy structures across the precinct.

Construction and Collaboration

Fairbrother completed construction over a 15 month period, with an average of 80 workers on-site increasing to 120 during tenancy fit-out. The project generated approximately 500 on-site jobs and more than 300 ongoing retail positions. Despite challenges posed by COVID-19 restrictions, labour shortages, and supply chain disruptions, the centre was delivered on budget and two weeks ahead of schedule — a testament to the close coordination between the design and construction teams.

Key Outcomes

• 6,000m² retail precinct delivered on a steep greenfield site through coordinated earthworks and retaining wall design.
• Mass block gravity walls with no-fines concrete backfill selected over precast alternatives, reducing retaining wall costs across heights of two to five metres.
• Vertiblock system adopted for secondary retaining areas, balancing visual amenity with structural economy.
• Steep batter strategy developed with geotechnical engineers, eliminating the need for additional high retaining walls and associated drainage infrastructure.
• Fully on-grade 260 space car park made possible by the engineered level pad — supporting the public art canopy structures and covered walkways above.
• Reference design carried through to detailed design under design and construct contract, enabling early structural optimisation and cost savings for the developer.