After three decades in Central Maitland, the Maitland Mutual Building Society – also known as The Mutual – will move its head office to East Maitland.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
General manager Geoffrey Seccombe said the organisation had bought land next to the expanding Stockland Green Hills shopping centre, and would open its new head office at the site in 2019.
Mr Seccombe said the board and senior management had planned the move for more than a decade, because of The Mutual’s rapidly growing head office operations.
“Stockland’s planned $372 million redevelopment of the Green Hills shopping centre has provided an undeniable opportunity for The Mutual to take up prominent residence in what has been dubbed, the retail hub of the Hunter Region,” he said.
“While we are still in very early stages of the development process, what we are looking at is a multi-storey building that will provide greater capacity for our current and future administrative services.
“The Mutual’s head office operations have been located on the first floor of our Levee Central Maitland building since 1987. The business and its operations have expanded significantly over the past 30 years to a point where we have outgrown this space.
“This decision highlights our commitment to building for the future to meet the growing needs of our members.”
The 1480 square parcel of land was previously the site of the Green Hills Pizza Hut restaurant.
The organisation will go to tender for the design contract of the new head office, with construction expected to begin in mid 2017.
The new site will include parking for employees and visitors, and allow for future expansion.
The inclusion of a branch, commercial offices and retail space will also be explored.
The Mutual’s branches in East Maitland and at the Levee, in Central Maitland, will remain operational following relocation to the new head office.
While the move is still some time away, Mr Seccombe said he wanted to make sure the Mutual’s members and the community were kept informed of the organisation’s future direction.