German supermarket giant Kaufland planning $23.6 million Prospect store

GERMAN discount supermarket chain Kaufland is eyeing a long-empty block of land in Adelaide’s inner north — described as a “blighted corner” — for the next stage of its South Australian expansion.

• German supermarket giant Kaufland lodge plans to subdivide Le Cornu warehouse
• Germany’s Kaufland buys Le Cornu site, Forestville, for $25m to set up giant 20,000sq m supermarket

GERMAN supermarket chain Kaufland is eyeing Prospect for the next stage of its South Australian expansion.

Kaufland Australia is planning a $23.6 million “single-storey retail development” at the southwestern corner of the Churchill Rd/Regency Rd intersection.

Three “supporting tenancies” would also be included in the complex, according to plans presented to the state Coordinator General.

The supermarket would be built on part of a now vacant 5.4ha block of land at the former Islington Railway yard, which will be redeveloped with 120 townhouses in the coming years.

Kaufland has already lodged an application with the State Commission Assessment Panel for what would be its first Australian store — a two-storey, $34.6 million supermarket at the former Le Cornu furniture warehouse in Forestville.

Artist’s impression of the Kaufland supermarket off Anzac Hwy, Forestville.

Plans for a $23.8 million store in Munno Parra have also been presented to the Coordinator General.

A Kaufland spokesman declined to comment on its push into Prospect, saying the company was “not in a position to … make any detailed statements about our projects in South Australia”.

Prospect Mayor David O’Loughlin welcomed news of a development at the site, which he described as a “blighted corner” of the Churchill Rd/Regency Rd intersection.

“We rezoned this for commercial and business, so a supermarket and shops is a good use for this high-profile corner,” Mr O’Loughlin said.

“I think the extra (retail) competition will be good, but what I am most excited about is there will be something done to that corner … which has been empty in all my living memory.”

Kaufland opened its first store in Germany in 1984 and now has more than 1230 outlets and 150,000 employees around the world.