Spotlight land development could include new Aldi supermarket

Plans for a new supermarket, retail store and food and drink outlet in North Rockhampton are moving closer to fruition after first being lodged four years ago.

Keen Aldi shoppers are coming from all over the Central Queensland region to snag a bargain at the city’s only German supermarket chain store – but will there ever be a store on the northside?

Plans for a supermarket, petrol station, retail store and food and drink outlet were approved by council in 2017 for the land in front of Spotlight on Yaamba Road in North Rockhampton.

At the time, then-mayor Margaret Strelow announced the proposed supermarket could potentially be Aldi.

While nothing has happened on the ground since then, there has been movement recently the background with council paperwork and Main Roads approvals.

Earlier this month, a new extension for the development was granted.

The applicants, Urbis, submitted an extension application to Rockhampton Regional Council in July.

The new approval was granted for four years and will expire in February, 2026.

The 2.7ha site is owned by the Spotlight Property Group, which bought it for $430,000 in 2005.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads told The Morning Bulletin it met with representatives for the developers of the site last month for a pre-lodgement discussion about a new commercial development on the site near Spotlight, similar to the previous 2017 development application.

The council-approved entry and exit accesses on the plans are the existing Spotlight entry and exit and a new access would be constructed at the other end of Moores Creek Road, closest to the new petrol station.

“The purpose of the meeting was to work with the developer to ensure they have a clear understanding of our road corridor access requirements for the proposed development before they lodge their new formal application,” their response read.

The Morning Bulletin went to Rockhampton’s only store and asked shoppers if they would like to see one on the northside, most of which said yes.

“I live on the northside and don’t get over this side of town much, so I don’t really keep up with what specials they are going to have, it’s just when I am over here, I have a bit of a look,” shopper Bronwyn said.

“If they had a store on the northside I definitely would go there more regularly.

“They have special buys which are great and a different variety of stuff.

“I love spotlight, it would be great if I could go to both at the same time.”

Another shopper who also lives on the northside said it would be good to have a store on her side of town.

“I like the prices, I find their goods just as good as anywhere else,” the shopper said.

Sal, who lives on the northside as well, enjoys shopping at Aldi for the “different variety of foods” and because the prices are a lot cheaper.

“I would love one on the northside,” she said.

“It (a northside store) would be a lot easier for me, lot shorter distance.”

Retired couple Dianne and Kev moved to Emu Park 12 months ago from Victoria.

They were shocked to see there was only one Aldi in the region – a stark difference from having three in Albury/Wodonga where they moved from.

“It’s not good enough … this is not convenient for us,” Dianne said.

“One on the northside would definitely be brilliant.

“We like looking at the specials they have, we like their prices are cheaper, we have come to like their cheese, biscuits and a few individual things.

“We don’t mind packing our own groceries - it’s a surprise to people when they come here and they have to but we are used to that.”

Vicki and Sue are diehard fans who used to drive to Gladstone to shop at the store there before the Rockhampton one opened.

They have done lots of Aldi shopping over the years – including buying a lawnmower.

“Their prices are so good here, it’s amazing,” Vicki said.

The pair live on southside but would love a northside store as they work on that side of town.

“I would shop at both,” Vicki said.

Fiona Knox who travels into Rockhampton once a fortnight from her property near Ogmore, two hours away, is a recent Aldi convert.

When The Morning Bulletin spoke to her it was her third time shopping at the store.

“It’s cheaper than Coles and Woolies - I still do a shop at Woolies on the way out at Parkhurst but I get most of the stuff from here,” she said.

Fiona said she would love to see a store on the northside.

“Then I wouldn’t have to come all the way over southside,” she said.

The new northside development was met with some controversy when it was first proposed.

Shopping centre giant across the road, Stockland, filed legal action against the development, citing parking and pedestrian concerns and the proximity to an adjacent established major centre (being Stockland).

The court ordered mediation between Stockland and the developer and Stockland withdrew its appeal months later, in March 2018.

Rockhampton Region Mayor Tony Williams was contacted for comment however The Morning Bulletin was told the council was not in discussions with the developer at the moment and could not confirm it would be Aldi at the site.

Aldi was also not able to confirm anything and deferred all enquires to the Spotlight Group.

The approved plans include a petrol station with four bowers, three tenancies which will be retail and food and drink outlet, two showrooms and a supermarket.

The existing carpark to the west of Spotlight would become a staff carpark.

The plans at the time had Anaconda, which the Spotlight Group owns, in one of the showrooms, however it has since opened on Aquatic Place near the cinemas.

The Spotlight Group bought Harris Scarfe in March 2019, after that company went into administration.

Spotlight Group executives announced in March this year they were looking to open 50 new Harris Scarfe stores in the next five years.

The Rockhampton Harris Scarfe store closed in February 2020.

Rockhampton’s first and only Aldi, located on Gladstone Road, will turn two next month.

The store opened on October 3, 2019.