Southland Chamber of Commerce president Neil McAra spoke at the second day of a resource consent hearing for HWCP Management Ltd, which plans to build a $200million retail precinct in the block bounded by Tay, Dee, Esk and Kelvin Sts.
Retail stores, a medical centre, office spaces and a food outlet were planned.
Mr McAra said the chamber conducted a survey of 230 business across Southland which showed 96% support.
''We are looking forward to the economic impact of this development - the significant expenditure, the short and long-term jobs.''
Invercargill resident Vicky Henry also spoke and said the council needs to be careful.
She said the Invercargill City Council approved the Levin St development, which placed major outlets at the street, which split the CBD in two.
''[This] largely led to the decline that you can see now in the CBD,'' she said.
Another resident, Christine Henderson, suggested the council hold the decision on the resource consent and ''reconvene as an Invercargill population''.
''If this goes ahead, people will find suddenly that they had no chance to say anything about it.''
Mrs Henderson said she would like the plan to succeed but with the heritage protected.
Project manager Geoff Cotton told the hearing that subject to consent being granted, demolition work would start in the middle of this year.
By October or November 2021 the project's anchor tenant would open its doors.
''We don't wanna look at this as the dark days of three years. It's exciting,'' Mr Cotton said, referring to the time that construction would continue. The hearing continues tomorrow.
-Additionally reported by Giordano Stolley
