It's not just what a new Countdown gives Mosgiel, it's what it leaves behind that has the town's business association humming.
The result of a consent hearing into the new Gordon Rd supermarket was released last week.
Consent was granted, with conditions.
They included strict rules on kerbside parking for Countdown staff, 7.5m of planted landscaping on the Gordon Rd frontage, the banning of any other retail outlets on the site, and the insistence that the existing Countdown store close before the new one opens.
The existing store's lease expires in October 2018, meaning the giant new store will be open by that date at the latest, if Countdown's parent company, Progressive Enterprises, is happy with the consent decision.
A Progressive Enterprises spokesman said while the company would need time to carefully analyse the conditions, the granting of the consent was ''a very significant milestone'' and Mosgiel residents could have ''a very high degree of confidence'' the store would open as planned.
Mosgiel Business Association president Blair Arthur said the decision was ''a step forward'' for Mosgiel, one he thought all the town's retailers would likely be in favour of.
''From a business perspective, it's showing that there's faith in Mosgiel.''
And while the new supermarket itself would be a great asset for the town, he was also excited by the potential that could be realised from the existing Countdown site.
With Mosgiel's rapid population growth, those moving in to new homes needed to fill them with homeware, but currently did virtually all of their homeware shopping ''over the hill'' in Dunedin.
A lack of large retail spaces in Mosgiel, and a dearth of greenfield land to develop on, meant attracting large retail stores like homeware chains had been difficult.
But the opening up of the old Countdown site - which was owned by rival supermarket giant Foodstuffs - could change that, he said.
''We've got a big open space in there. The options could be endless.''
If no retailers were interested in taking the site, the town's businesses could ''put our heads together and put a series of outlet stores out there'', he said.
But there was hope interest in the site would be high, as such a significant investment from Progressive Enterprises showed other major retailers Mosgiel was worth a punt, he said.
''There's a wee bit of optimism out there.''
Mosgiel Taieri community board chairman Bill Feather said he understood ''quite a number'' of retail chains had looked at establishing themselves in Mosgiel, ''but the floor spaces haven't been big enough''.
The old Countdown site becoming available was exactly what the town needed, he said.
''Our citizens, they need to be able to get their basics locally and tend to their needs.''
There was also no fear the new Countdown's site to the east of the town's commercial zone - on the old St Mary's School site - would take away from the town centre's vibrancy, Mr Feather said.
''I've lived in Mosgiel all my life and in my junior days there was a retail presence in that part of Mosgiel, and further along.''
Mr Arthur agreed, saying people tended to do their supermarket shopping as a trip on its own, rather than combining it with retail shopping.
Countdown conditions
• To be open by October 2018
• Open 8am to 9pm daily
• Supermarket only - no other retail allowed
• Staff forbidden to park on surrounding streets
• 174 car parks
• Two protected yew trees on the site to be retained
• Electric-only forklifts with ''low-tonal'' beeping
• Sound-reducing glazing to be installed in nearby residential properties
• Pylon signage to be no larger than 6m high and 2.2m wide
