A Molonglo shopping centre left deserted for years after its completion has suddenly started to fill up with tenants, ending a protracted community battle for local facilities.
The wave of new businesses leasing space at Coombs local shops has relieved residents, nearly four years after the centre was built.
The ACT government sold the site to Canberra developer Renato Cervo in 2015.
Mr Cervo initially said he hoped to open the centre in mid-2016 but construction was delayed by two rejected development applications and a stop-work order when building commenced without approval.
By 2018, works were complete but the space remained empty, until its first and long-time only tenant, Ajijo Grocer, set up shop.
"I'd say the majority of people who have moved into Molonglo, they have known the Coombs shops has been a bit of a tricky saga," Molonglo Community Forum convenor Ryan Hemsley said.
A bottle shop has already sprung up, with more new businesses, including a gastropub, fruit and vegetable store, a cafe and an office space, to follow.
"We've had a lot more interest than we originally thought as well, but we're being pretty selective with what sort of tenants we get," leasing agent, Armin Kashan of the Agency Canberra said.
"We don't want the same business six times, for example, so we're just trying to get a good selection."
There are three smaller spaces left to lease, and the larger 1000-square-metre site intended for a supermarket.
The 1000 square metres allotted to the supermarket has been one of the complications in filling the space; it is too small to attract most businesses.
The ACT government last year increased the amount of space local shops could lease to supermarkets to 1500-square-metres, but this won't help the Coombs site.
The sudden uptick in interest could be due to the development of supermarket nearby, the growing population, and the efforts of the newly appointed real estate agency.
Mr Kashan was engaged earlier this year to find tenants and said new marketing materials had also driven interest.
"Being able to actually negotiate with the owner, negotiate with the potential tenant and find a pretty fair middle ground for both parties to actually get the deal done," he said.
The Canberra Times contacted Mr Cervo, but he did not wish to comment.
Ajit Kumar, the sole operator in the centre for nearly 3.5 years, is looking forward to more businesses moving into the area.
"It will bring some more foot traffic, it's going to be better for my store and the whole community as well," he said.
Mr Hemsley, who moved into the area in 2017, is cautiously optimistic about the future of the shops.
"The key thing is we will be excited when it happens," he said.
"But obviously we want to see those doors open before we count our chickens."
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