It's all go for IGA

ONE of the few remaining hurdles to Maclean getting a full in-line supermarket has been cleared, but not without some strong opposition.

Carpark where the new IGA is set to be built.

ONE of the few remaining hurdles to Maclean getting a full in-line supermarket was cleared last night, but not without some strong opposition.

Clarence Valley councillors voted 7-2 to accept an offer of $2.5 million from Metcash on behalf of IGA supermarkets to buy a section of the Cameron St car park to build a supermarket in the CBD.

>> Read Mayor Richie Williamson's Maclean supermarket position

>> Read Councillor Ian Tiley's Maclean supermarket position

Most councillors said the issue had dragged on too long and Maclean needed the development approved in order to move ahead, but councillors Ian Tiley and Pat Comben both expressed strong opposition to the sale.

They said that by accepting the offer the council and ratepayers would be left up to $2 million out of pocket compensating for lost car parking spaces.

The mayor, Cr Richie Williamson, moved that the sale proceed, saying the IGA proposal provided strong linkages to the Maclean CBD.

“I firmly believe this will give a good outcome for Maclean and give it the shot in the arm it needs,” he said.

“We have a proponent who is ready to proceed.”

He said a lot more work needed to be done before the development could proceed, but the council needed to support the sale “for the betterment of the Maclean community”.

“It is a positive, but it is a difficult decision on many, many fronts,” he said.

“We acknowledge there are some hard decisions to be made today, but we need to move forward for the Maclean community.”

Cr Tiley said he could not ignore a Woolworths offer on the land that was substantially above that of IGA.

He said the council was prepared to sell the land without consulting the community.

“This is un-Australian, patently unfair, even improper,” he said.

He said that in a letter, IGA advised the purchase was conditional on the council granting development approval for a supermarket. “I am very uncomfortable that council could be perceived to be giving advance DA approval,” he said. “My arguments give us every right to discontinue the current negotiation. I urge colleagues to do that now.”

Cr Tiley's concerns were echoed by Cr Comben, who said he was concerned the process had not been clear and transparent.

“The bird in the hand is going to cost $2 million,” he said. “I think people need to know they will get a new supermarket and it will cost ratepayers $2 million.”

But all other councillors said they believed the IGA offer was the best option for Maclean.

Cr Craig Howe said the first item on the council agenda when he was elected three years ago was a new supermarket for Maclean, and it was still on the agenda. It was time to make a decision.

Cr Ian Dinham said he wanted to get legal advice on the sale of the land, but having received that, he was happy to proceed with the sale.

Originally published as It's all go for IGA