Construction of Mosgiel's new $20 million supermarket will begin soon.
Countdown confirmed the tender process had been completed and the store was expected to open early next year.
‘‘We . . . are anticipating to start work in the next month,'' Countdown general manager property Adrian Walker said.
‘‘We are expecting to complete the project early 2017, with a budget of around $20 million.
‘‘We expect the new supermarket to create about 50 new jobs.''
Countdown would not confirm which company secured the contract to build the supermarket or comment on whether the company was Otago-based.
When plans for the supermarket were announced in December 2014, Countdown said it would cost $15million, create 48 jobs and replace the chain's existing Factory Rd store. It was unclear what had led to the $5 million increase in budget.
About 50 people are employed at the Factory Rd store at present. That number would double when the new store was complete.
The 3350sq m supermarket, on the site of the former St Mary's Primary School site bordering Gordon Rd and Church St, was approved in March after a protracted consent process.
The Dunedin City Council consented in October to the supermarket being built in residential-zoned land with conditions, but Countdown's parent company, Progressive Enterprises, appealed some of the conditions and the Environment Court sent the parties to mediation.
The parties reached an agreement following mediation, which is understood to include an agreement with neighbours regarding noise produced by the store.
Countdown bought the Gordon Rd site in 2012 after St Mary's School moved across the road to a larger site.
