Supermarket plan 'fantastic' for Mosgiel

Site of the new Mosgiel Countdown. Photo by ODT.
Site of the new Mosgiel Countdown. Photo by ODT.
A $15 million investment in Mosgiel's future is ''fantastic'' news, Mosgiel-Taieri community board deputy chairman Mark Willis says.

Countdown yesterday announced plans to build a $15 million supermarket in Gordon Rd which would replace its Factory Rd store and create 48 jobs.

The Dunedin City Council is publicly notifying Countdown's resource consent application today.

Mr Willis said the proposed store ''bodes well for the future of the community''.

''It shows the belief and commitment of international companies to say Mosgiel is growing - they don't put that money into the community lightly,'' he said.

''It's been a long time waiting to see what happens but, who knows, this growth in Mosgiel opens up the possibility of other shops and infrastructure.''

The proposed 3450sq m supermarket in Gordon Rd would be built on the former site of St Mary's School.

It would almost double the floor space for Countdown, as its present store covers 1800sq m.

The need for a larger store was one of the reasons behind the move, Countdown general manager for property Adrian Walker said.

''It's no secret we've been looking to build a replacement store in Mosgiel for some time, and we're pleased to have secured a site in the right location for a full-service supermarket,'' he said.

''We've worked hard to put forward a plan that will fit in with the local community, including a design that will really complement the area around us.''

An additional 180sq m of specialty retail space would be built on an adjoining site.

A Countdown spokeswoman said the retail space would ''likely be for two shops''.

''But we don't know what they are for yet as it's all a proposal.''

The spokeswoman said the time frame for building the store would not be known until consent was granted, but ''it takes longer than six months to build a store''.

''We would be able to give more detail around time frames when we are given a consent,'' she said.

If consent is granted, traffic lights would be installed at the intersection of Gordon Rd and Inglis St, to ease access to the new supermarket.

Access for left-turning traffic would be available further along Gordon Rd and access would also be available from Church St.

The site would have a car park for 181 cars and the store would be open from 7am-10pm daily.

Two protected yew trees on the site would be incorporated into landscaping.

Mosgiel Business Association chairman Blair Arthur said the prospect of the store - and the additional jobs it would create - were positive for Mosgiel's residents and business community.

''Any increase in employment in Mosgiel is all good,'' he said.

''There's been talk about it in Mosgiel for ages and questions about whether it's going ahead or not, so to see this out there and confirmed is good.''

He had heard rumours a fast-food outlet might accompany the store and backed that proposal as well.

''A McDonald's, a KFC or Burger King or something like that is what Mosgiel needs,'' he said.

''I would like to see it as a supermarket and food outlet.''

The Countdown spokeswoman said no tenants had been discussed for the retail space, as it was only a proposal at present.

If consent is granted, Countdown would vacate its existing supermarket premises, which it rents.

Countdown bought the Gordon Rd site in 2012 after St Mary's School moved across the road to a larger site.

The store has 52 staff at present and the new store would employ 100.

Submissions on the proposal close on February 9.

timothy.brown@odt.co.nz

 


The proposal

• $15m supermarket on the site of the former St Mary's School in Gordon Rd.

• 48 jobs created.

• 3450sq m store almost doubles the floor space of Countdown's existing store in Factory Rd.

• Additional 180sq m of retail space to be built on site.

• Store will take more than six months to build if resource consent granted.


 

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