Retail giant wins fight over new supermarket

Progressive Enterprises, owner of the Countdown supermarket chain, is claiming victory in its plans to build a new store in Warkworth. File photo / Bay of Plenty Times

Supermarket operator Progressive Enterprises has claimed a huge Environment Court victory over its controversial plans for a Countdown at Warkworth.

Progressive's development manager for properties, Brady Nixon, said Judge Jeff Smith made an oral decision this week allowing the development to proceed.

The full written decision was not available, he said, and a hearing was being held oncosts.

Progressive wants to build at 20-26 Neville St, the main thoroughfare which feeds traffic off State Highway 1 to the centre of town and the Queen St shopping strip.

Progressive's plans caused an outcry. Many locals told Rodney District Council of their concerns at the effects of a big supermarket. They worried about more traffic snarlups, fretted about the arrival and departure of delivery vehicles and said Warkworth needed to keep its historic, old look.

Some said a Countdown would ruin the town.

Bulk retail and large-format stores should be restricted to the other side of town, they said, recommending Woodcocks Rd to the left of the township heading north.

Progressive's plans at Warkworth were also opposed by supermarket competitor Foodstuffs (Auckland) and Perrendale Holdings' Neil Barr. He wants to develop a bulk retail shopping centre worth $55 million, Stockyard Falls, on Woodcocks Rd at Warkworth.

The Environment Court hearing was unusual.

Progressive rejected the traditional local authority planning hearing. Instead of going to Rodney, it went straight to the court, said to be the first time this has happened.

Progressive announced last week it had spent $200 million in the past year revamping existing stores and building new ones.

It hopes to open at Warkworth in the next year and says 160 permanent jobs will be created there and its store would bring competition for the growing area's needs, now met by a New World supermarket owned by rival Foodstuffs.

Progressive also wants to build a 3600sq m Countdown at Beachlands, northeast of Manukau City, but the Pohutukawa Coast Community Association is strongly against this, surveying locals to find 80 per cent in Beachlands and 73 per cent of Maraetai opposed changes.

Progressive said last year that its new Warkworth supermarket would be designed to be empathetic with the town centre. It would provide more parking, new specialty retail shops and enhance pedestrian traffic by connecting the supermarket and town centre.

Adrian Walker of Progressive said shoppers in the town wanted more competition and choice.

"We aim to provide just that. Customers across New Zealand love our new generation Countdowns: the wide-open design, the incredible range of up to 30,000 lines and value for money."

COUNTDOWN WARKWORTH
* New supermarket planned.
* 3400sq m with 154 car parks.
* Store to rise on Neville St site.
* Feelings have run high against it.