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Plans for Glenunga Aldi store rejected by State Government’s assessment panel

A plan by Aldi to knock down a Mitre 10 store in Adelaide’s east to build a supermarket has been rejected.

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Aldi’s plan to demolish a Mitre 10 store in Glenunga to make way for a supermarket has been knocked back by the state’s planning panel.

The State Commission Assessment Panel rejected the German supermarket giant’s $7.4 million proposal on Thursday because it wasn’t in keeping with the area’s local centre zone, which encouraged “smaller-scale developments”.

An artist impression of Aldi’s proposed store in Glenunga.
An artist impression of Aldi’s proposed store in Glenunga.

The panel also found the “visual impact” from the development’s southwest corner was “inappropriate” for neighbouring properties.

A Mitre 10 currently operates on the site, at 499 Portrush Rd.

The proposal has attracted a raft of complaints from nearby residents.

Bob Schapel was concerned Aldi wanted 24/7 deliveries to the store and that the supermarket would exacerbate traffic woes in the area.

“Traffic on Portrush Rd is already very heavy,” Mr Schapel wrote in his submission to the panel.

“Semi-trailers, trucks and customer cars will make the area even busier.”

An artist’s impression of the new store from Portrush Rd.
An artist’s impression of the new store from Portrush Rd.

Selina Zhou, from the nearby Granada Motor Inn, said the supermarket’s construction would be “very noisy” and affect the hotel’s clientele.

If the plan was approved, it would have been the fourth Aldi in Adelaide’s east, with stores in Kensington Park, Newton and another opening in Norwood in 2020.

Aldi opened its first supermarkets in SA in February 2016.

Long-term, it wants to have 50 supermarkets in the state.

Aldi has been contacted for comment.

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Original URL: https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/messenger/east-hills/plans-for-glenunga-aldi-store-rejected-by-state-governments-assessment-panel/news-story/247622fe0c93b82f7472162fc63fef6a