Woolworths Mosman supermarket proposal rejected by Mosman Council
Woolworths has been given two weeks notice to respond to a long list of objections over its planned store in Mosman, with the retailer not ruling out a legal challenge should plans be rejected.
Mosman
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The battle over a proposed Woolworths outlet in the Mosman town centre has taken a new turn with council planners giving the retailer two weeks to respond to a long list of objections.
A seven-page letter sent to the Woolworths by Mosman Council has raised 26 grounds of objection relating to the $5.3 million planned supermarket on Military Rd.
The development would involve partially demolishing six shops to make way for a Metro style supermarket that would include a sushi bar, bakery, small cafe and a 20-space carpark.
More than 500 submissions have been lodged from residents with many raising concerns over traffic, noise and fears it would squeeze out small traders in the area.
In its letter, the council said economic assessments included in the plans “failed to address the actual impact” on the region’s existing shops and requested detailed analysis outlining the implications for individual retailers in Mosman, Bridgepoint, Spit Junction, Cremorne and Neutral Bay.
The council has also questioned an analysis of traffic impacts that compared the proposed store with the Woolworths Metro outlets in Rozelle and Newtown.
The council argued Newtown was well serviced by trains and that Rozelle “would likely have a different demographic to Mosman”.
“The notion that the on-site car park can be monitored by council is (also) an unnecessary burden and one which will not be accepted,” the council said.
Other changes the council has requested include details of how a “click and collect” service would be managed and the hours of operations of the cafe.
The council also wants overnight closure of the site’s carpark extended from 7am to 8am on Sundays and public holidays to reduce noise, timber framing added to all windows and doors to match the heritage streetscape and a ban on advertising promotions on signage.
The letter stated the development application should be redesigned to ensure it was “consistent with the desired future character” of the area.
“The proposed design does not maintain the rhythm and form of the small shop fronts that provide an important contribution to the character and atmosphere of Mosman Junction,” it stated.
The council said if a response was not received within in two weeks, planners would proceed to determine the proposal as submitted.
“Alternatively, Woolworths may wish to consider withdrawing the application,” the council said.
In a statement, Woolworths declined to say if the company would submit revised plans or consider a Land Environment Court challenge should the council reject the current proposal.
Woolworths head of property development Andrew Loveday said the retailer had “received a number of queries which we are currently working through.”
“We’ve listened closely to the community feedback and revised our plans for our landholdings at Mosman,” he said.
“We look forward to our proposal being assessed in due course.”
If approved, the store would open in June 2021 and employ up to 42 people.