Grantville supermarket still in question after years of advocating
Shoppers in a town on the Bass Coast have been left disappointed and confused after a developer pulled the pin on his plans for a long-awaited supermarket. Now he has revealed why.
Bass Coast News
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Waterline town residents have been campaigning for years to get a supermarket in Grantville.
It looked as if their pleas were finally about to be answered with news the owners of one of the development blocks on Grantville-Glen Alvie Rd was set to build a supermarket on the site.
But locals have been left confused and disappointed after he pulled the pin on his supermarket plan.
Developer Chris, who did not provide his last name, told The Bass Coast News that he would no longer be building a supermarket on his 1.6 hectare property as originally intended.
“The adjoining land owner has an agreement with Ritchies and they will run their race with that agreement in place we assume,” he said.
“We no longer have a design with a supermarket as we don’t believe there is the appetite for two brands in the area”.
However, Ritchies Victoria State Manager Joe Fida, would not confirm the Grantville supermarket would go ahead, saying the company had “committed to nothing”.
“It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to make a comment,” he said.
Chris said he tried to buy the property next door “without success”.
“We went as far as to offer our land to them to buy so one owner could apply for one TPPA over the whole [property] but that was not accepted either”.
The Bass Coast News has contacted the owner of the 2.6 hectare site for comment.
Bass Coast Shire councillor hopeful Rochelle Halstead says she is frustrated with the confusion around getting a supermarket in Grantville.
“It’s been talked about for a very long time,” she said.
Ms Halstead said there are other sites available in Grantville for a supermarket.
“If the developers are bickering among themselves about what they are going to do, they might miss the boat all together,” she said.
“There’s plenty of space!”
Ms Halstead believes a supermarket will boost economic growth in the area.
“I think it will generate employment and encourage other businesses to consider Grantville as a location to open their own business,” she said.
She believes the town needs to progress, rather than just being a “drive-through destination”.
“Grantville needs to be an arrival destination where people can stop and grab a coffee, go to a supermarket and grab anything they might need”.
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Contact Brooke at brooke.grebert-craig@news.com.au