Aldi supermarket approved for Blackwood

AN ALDI supermarket has been approved for Adelaide’s south — despite a concerted campaign by local businesses to prevent the German supermarket giant from setting up in the hills.

An artist's impression of the new Aldi at Blackwood.

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AN ALDI supermarket has been approved for Blackwood — despite a concerted campaign by local businesses to prevent the German supermarket giant from setting up in the hills.

But residents have taken to social media to express their support for the new outlet.

The State Government’s State Commission Assessment Panel last week signed off on the store planned for 200 Main Rd, with only minor restrictions such as when rubbish can be collected and deliveries made.

The $5.6 million development would replace the Blackwood Village shopping centre currently at the site — which includes Browse In & Save and Harcourts Packham — however, part of the current building would remain with two shop tenancies.

The design of the new Aldi at Blackwood.

Totally Locally Blackwood traders’ group organiser Heather Holmes-Ross, whose group was behind a “No Aldi in Blackwood” Facebook campaign, said the opening of the supermarket would be a “loss” to the Blackwood community.

“I think the big problem for Blackwood with Aldi going there is there aren’t many businesses surrounding it that customers would use as well, so it’ll be a one-stop shop,” Ms Holmes-Ross said.

“Whereas if it had been located in Blackwood centre, people might have used other smaller shops.

“Broadly speaking, the idea of the zoning is that supermarkets would be located in the CBD area and small businesses would benefit.”

She feared it would but dilute the shopping environment — eventually leading to fewer jobs.

“The more one-stop shops you have, the less people are going to use the smaller ones,” she said.

“It’ll make Blackwood uglier. It won’t have that uniqueness and that uniqueness is made up of having all those small shops.”

What the site of the new Aldi at Blackwood looks like now.

But Mitcham councillor Lindy Taeuber said she could not see Aldi damaging local businesses.

“My understanding from people who are fans of Aldi is that they still need to shop elsewhere,” Cr Taeuber said.

She had received feedback from locals that they would return to shopping in Blackwood as a result of Aldi opening, instead of travelling to Mitcham or Marion.

“The other thing I’m hearing … is members in the community saying there’s a bit of a gap in the products they’d like to see on shelves,” she said.

“The more we have vibrant businesses with a range of options, the more it’ll strengthen the area.”

It was not known when construction of the new supermarket would begin.

Aldi did not respond to questions.

The Blackwood store would be the 26th Aldi outlet in South Australia, part of the chain’s plans to open about 50 shops.