Gisborne Aldi ‘delayed’, but still on cards
German supermarket giant Aldi has reaffirmed commitment to the Macedon Ranges, with plans to open on the vacant site of a former hardware store. But time is running out.
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German supermarket giant Aldi has reaffirmed its commitment to Gisborne, despite a delay in construction.
The supermarket giant bought council-owned land set aside for car parks next to the former Mitre 10 site for $600,000 in 2016.
An Aldi spokesman said circumstances out of its control had caused a delay, but work was expected to begin in 2019.
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It would not confirm to the Leader what those circumstances were. “We know there is strong demand in the Gisborne community for an alternative place to shop and will update the community as our plans progress,” the spokesman said.
When the development was announced in 2017, the store said it would employ the equivalent of between 12-15 full-time staff.
It has promised to build 105 car parks, permitting general parking and two-hour shopping, as well as a new access road off Aitken St.
Macedon Ranges Council planning and environment director Angela Hughes said the permit was issued in May 2017. “The permit requires development start within two years of the issue of the permit, and is completed within four years of the permit issue date,” she said.
“Under the current permit, the company has around six months to start development on the Aitken St site.”
Aldi may apply for an extension of the planning permit, “but to date none has been received,” Ms Hughes said.
Readers were generally in support of Aldi coming to Gisborne when asked on our Facebook page.
New Gisborne resident Ang Williams said she’d welcome the new trade to town.
“I think Aldi is great value for money and Gisborne is ready for a change,” she said. However, Carol Horman said Gisborne had enough supermarkets. “(There’s) no hardware or plant nursery anymore. What a waste.”
When the project was announced in 2017, postcode surveys conducted with shoppers at Aldi in Sunbury found about a quarter lived in the Gisborne area.
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