Developer Clinton Williams said a three-storey complex would be built on the corner of Elgin Boulevard and Smythe Street as part of Junction Place.

It is hoped plans can be lodged with Wodonga Council by Christmas.

Though Mr Williams predicts the $32 million hub will not open until mid-2019 following approvals and construction.

He said a joint venture agreement had been reached with United Cinemas, a Sydney company which operates nine venues across Australia.

Mr Williams is excited at the prospect of a cinema in Wodonga coming to fruition.

“We’ve been wanting one here since the 1980s, it’s going to make a big difference because when you’ve got something like that people just come for that,” he said.

The planned nine cinemas would be capable of holding a total of 1800 movie-goers with reclining seats to be installed in all theatres.

Restaurants would be on the ground floor with the skating and bowling areas on a separate level.

Mr Williams outlining of plans for the cinema follow approval being given to two five-storey apartment blocks by Wodonga Council last week.

He said they would be built in stages with the first named Renenet at Station 73.

Renenet refers to an ancient goddess of good fortune, while Station 73 acknowledges the arrival of the railway in Wodonga 1873 and is term used for private development at Junction Place.

“It’s something new in Wodonga and new in this scale of things in Albury as well,” Mr Williams said.

“We can’t expect to be building the whole 86 (at once), it’s going to be 43 to start with because it’s a five-year planning approval.

“We hope to be earlier than that, but that’s the maximum.”

Mr Williams declined to nominate price tags for the one to three-bedroom units, saying preliminary costings needed to be clarified subject to building materials.

He said a display suite would be opened inside a section of the Goods Shed at Junction Place.

“People will be able to see a series of rooms, kitchens and bathrooms,” Mr Williams said.

He said a particular percentage of units would have to be sold off the plan before building began.

“Construction won’t start until September, we’ve got to do presales and when we reach a certain figure we’ll start,” Mr Williams said.

Meanwhile, earthworks for a new roadway are expected to ramp up throughout next month.

The street will loop from Smythe Street to South Street with Mr Williams saying a house, formerly used by Places Victoria, will be demolished on South Street to make way for traffic.

Station 73 will also be involved in developing a new green hub to the west of the old station building.

Bearing a railway-themed name, Sidings Park, the reserve is tipped to be completed by next March and feature mature trees.

More information about the development is online at www.station73.com.au