A Hamilton City Councillor has questioned why an application to build a new supermarket on one of Hamilton's busiest arterial routes will be notified on a limited basis.
Council planners have opted to process Progressive Enterprises' application to build a Countdown supermarket at 160 Peachgrove Rd on a limited notified basis because they say the impact on the surrounding properties will be no more than minor.
It means only 27 property owners will be able to make submissions on the application.
Councillor Dave Macpherson believes the location for the supermarket is "nuts" given the large volume of traffic.
"You're talking about traffic coming on to and off Peachgrove Road. If it was off Ruakura Rd I would have more sympathy with that. I also think given the traffic situation and the number of people it affects it is really wrong that it not be publicly notified - fully notified."
But acting planning guidance manager for the council Fraser McNutt says if an application doesn't affect everyone, it doesn't need to be fully notified.
Full notification - where anyone may submit to it - is only required if the effects are deemed more than minor, not including the site and adjacent land owners or occupiers.
Mr McNutt said the decision about what impact the development would have is made by a processing planner.
"It is their professional opinion that determines the degree of the effect. In order to help them make that [decision] is information such as a traffic report from a traffic specialist. The applicant has provided one and we got that peer reviewed."
Cr Macpherson said applicants often tried to get their applications as close to non-notified as possible to speed up the process.
"They also don't want the complications of serious people having their say. When an application comes in there will be comments from a professional planner and the main thrust will be why it doesn't need to be notified. "Council staff are often much less experienced than the consultant planners that Progressive Enterprises in this case have paid. There should be an independent test of the situation. It is nothing illegal the staff are doing, they're just taking the most friendly approach to the applicant they possibly could instead of saying 'is there a public interest in this, is there a wider interest?'."
The 1.8 hectare site will have three vehicle crossings on to the road, two for customers, the other for service vehicles and staff.
There will also be two pedestrian access points from the road, one leading to a covered walkway in the centre of a 192-space carpark and one that runs along the entrance.
A spokesperson for Progressive Enterprises said they are pleased to confirm the plans for the new Countdown supermarket.
"Hamilton is a growing city, and we're excited to have secured a great site in a part of the city where we don't currently have a supermarket presence."
Progressive acquired the site from Mighty River Power last year.