ALDI lodges plans with Mackay council for Andergrove store

It is the shop Mackay has dreamed of getting and now it looks like we’re getting our wish with the German retailer’s big move suggesting drives to Rocky will be no more.

If ever a business topped Mackay’s Christmas list, it was ALDI and now the German retailer has granted that exact wish.

The retailer has lodged plans with Mackay Regional Council to build a supermarket at Andergrove Lakes in what is believed to be one of the chain’s largest stores.

It is understood ALDI hopes to have the supermarket open by the end of 2022.

The earmarked site is within the newly established Andergrove Lakes precinct on Cutler Dr to which it has frontage as well as Beaconsfield Road East and Superior Boulevard.

The proposed site is bordered by the North Mackay AFL Club and Whitsunday Anglican School to the north, Aqua Park Mackay to the east, and Mackay BMX Reserve, Baptist church and Mackay Gymnastics to the south.

“There is currently an existing approval over the land for a 6000sq m GFA retail precinct which includes a 2500sq m supermarket,” documents state.

“The current proposal will essentially replace the supermarket that formed part of the existing approval with an ALDI Store supermarket of 1,973sq m and the balance of the site would then be subject to further development by the land owner.

“The current proposal will utilise the access on Eyre Street as the primary access point however it is not proposed to facilitate access to Cutler Drive as part of the ALDI Store supermarket development.

“This may form part of the development of the balance land.”

The Andergrove store would include a click and collect service with the building to be 8.5m high and a GFA of 1973sq m.

Plans include for 127 car parks with 60 covered spaces, four electric vehicle charge spaces and four for click and collect customers.

Documents state ALDI stores are “significantly smaller than full-line supermarkets” such as Coles and Woolworths at about 1800sq m, including up to 600sq m of back-of-house storage and loading docks.

The retailer typically employs about 10 staff per store on a full-time equivalent basis, or two full-time and 12 permanent part-time workers.

Its application documents state pays about $25 an hour, which is above the industry average of about $20 an hour for permanent part-time and full-time positions.