Childcare centre to replace Hawthorndene’s GD Wholesale Fruit & Veg under developer’s plan

Locals don’t want an 89-place childcare centre to replace a beloved grocery store – but the shop owners have a different view.

GD Wholesale Fruit & Veg, at Hawthorndene, would be demolished for a childcare centre under a developer's plan. Picture: Supplied

Hawthorndene locals are rallying against a proposal to demolish a much-loved grocery store to build a childcare centre – but the shop’s owners are in favour of the plan.

A Mitcham Council panel will decide on Thursday whether the 86-place childcare centre will get planning consent, which would make way for the developer to demolish GD Wholesale Fruit & Veg.

Ben Nankervis, who has owned the shop for 19 years with his wife Trudy Nankervis, said the pair had been trying to sell the business for two years as they dealt with serious health issues.

He said they had wanted to sell the business and property together, but the couple was approached by a developer wanting to replace the shop with a childcare centre.

Ben and Trudy Nankervis have owned GD Wholesale Fruit & Veg at Hawthorndene for 19 years. Picture: Supplied

“We don’t really have much of a choice in this one without dropping enormous amounts of money, which after 20 years, I’m not willing to do,” Mr Nankervis said.

“In our case, unfortunately we haven’t been able to sell the business, but what we have done is invest in property, which has given us a good Plan B.”

The couple’s sale will proceed only if the panel grants planning consent – but 22 individuals have lodged an objection, with many citing their fondness for the grocery store as a reason for attempting to block the development.

Objectors also raised concerns about noise, the loss of trees and the appropriateness of a commercial childcare centre operating in a residential neighbourhood.

Hawthorndene Primary School and Hawthorndene Kindergarten are both located fewer than 100m east of the site.

Mr Nankervis said some customers had “given us grief” about the development.

“Our really good customers have been excellent about it,” he said.

“They’re all disappointed that it looks like we’re going to go, but it’s a necessary thing.

“We’ve got some fairly serious health issues that need to be dealt with.

“I’ll be pretty upset when the day does come when you have to close the door, but some of that is just business by today’s standards.

“It’s still going to hurt. We’ll leave here with some really good memories, but everything comes to an end.”

Mr Nankervis said he did not plan to close the wholesale part of the business.

In a report recommending panel members approve the childcare centre development, council officers said “the planning system cannot prevent the closure of the existing grocer”.

The owners of GD Wholesale Fruit & Veg have been trying to sell for two years. Picture: Supplied

“It’s ultimately the market that determines the continuation of a business,” the planning staff wrote.

The centre at 24 Suffolk Rd, Hawthorndene, would operate from 6.30am to 6.30pm on weekdays.

The developer was listed in council documents as Development Holdings and the centre’s would-be operator was not named.

Originally published as Childcare centre to replace Hawthorndene’s GD Wholesale Fruit & Veg under developer’s plan