The CBD shopping centre was purchased by Sentinel Property Group (SPG) just over three years ago for $18.95 million.

Though it has a Coles supermarket as its long-standing tenant, Bathurst Chase has struggled to keep its other tenancies filled in recent years.

Sentinel Property Group managing director Warren Ebert told the Western Advocate he had been in discussions with the government agency for 18 months about a 500 square metre site in the centre.

“A 500 square metre site is quite significant and it’s [the government agency] a service provider and it will attract new people into the centre,” he said.

Until the agreement was finalised, Mr Ebert said he was unable to name the government service provider, but confirmed it would be a new service to Bathurst and not the relocation of one that already exists in the city.

“It will bring in a couple of thousand people a week into the centre who wouldn’t usually come in,” he said.

“They’re measuring up to do the fit-out they will do down the track.”

Mr Ebert told the Advocate in 2017 that SPG knew Bathurst Chase “had problems” when it was purchased and that there were not as many tenants as the company would like, but said SPG believed the centre had a lot of potential.

In regards to the government service provider, Mr Ebert said its addition to the centre would have flow-on effects for Bathurst Chase’s existing pharmacist, optometrist and other retailers.

By comparison, most retail outlets will usually lease a space of 50-150 square metres, while a major supermarket would have 3000-4000 square metres.

Mr Ebert said because of the “significant” size of the 500 square metre space the government service provide was looking at, he expects it will bring new people to the city for employment opportunities.

In recent times, two new retailers have moved into Bathurst Chase – McGrath real estate and Burgers on William.