$2.7m IGA proposal for Kings Meadows to meet ‘community need’

An IGA is hoping to move into a suburb that already has the two supermarket giants — Woolworths and Coles — but the developer believes there’s a ‘community need’. Here’s why.

Plans for new IGA at Kings Meadows

A supermarket development application would build a multi-million dollar business in a growing urban area.

The application, which will be debated by Launceston council on Thursday, is for an IGA supermarket for Dolerite Drive in Kings Meadows.

Giving the over 1000 nearby residents a closer place to buy groceries which is tipped tobring millions to the area.

The renders found in the plan indicate it will be a Baxters IGA, adding to their expanding Tasmanian empire that includes two in the North at Prospect and Blackstone Village, and two in the south at Sandy Bay and Snug.

Kings Meadows IGA render from application documents. Picture: supplied

Kings Meadows IGA render from application documents. Picture: supplied

The application documents state in one year alone, more than $5.4 million is spent on groceries by a catchment of around 1000 people.

The supermarket would be just off Midlands Highway and near the petrol station, and include a carpark with 44 spaces, and a new pedestrian path to the entrance.

The cost of the new IGA would be $2.7 million to construct.

The application documents show while the area currently prohibits a retail shop, the smaller supermarket, with 979 sq/m total floor area would be beneficial for the area as a community need.

Kings Meadows IGA render from application documents. Picture: supplied

Documents argued there was not a supermarket to service that area and any other supermarkets were far away enough the smaller supermarket would not impact them.

Coles and Woolworths both have stores within 3kms of the proposed site in the same suburb, however the IGA would be considerably closer to those living at Youngtown.

The zone is currently used for light industrial use, meaning the application had to demonstrate a need for a retail shop to allow a general use development.

The documents state the supermarket would bring jobs to the area as well as economic benefits.

Documents state “a demonstrated community need for such a use in this location”.

According to the retail assessment, a retail business could bring 19 full time jobs, value adding almost $1.5 million.

The site is also in one of Launceston’s urban growth areas and near the Connector Park estate, where future subdivisions are predicted to occur.

The supermarket would be in the Connector Park Industrial Precinct, and closest to Mount Pleasant residential estate to the north which has 230 residential lots and 216 residential lots to the south east which is Oakden Park.

The documents predict a population growth of almost 500 people in the primary catchment area alone in six years, from 1034 to 1522. The wider secondary catchment is over 12,000 residents.

The assessment states this IGA would become a walkable distance supermarket for nearby residents.

The council’s officer report recommends councillors to approve the application to build the supermarket, car park and landscaping.

Originally published as $2.7m IGA proposal for Kings Meadows to meet ‘community need’