Supermarket on way

A new supermarket for Featherston is still on its way, despite being held up for a year.

Trust House Masterton chief executive Bernard Teahan said the process was delayed by a dispute with a neighbour over a right-of-way and the supermarket had to be redesigned.

"We thought we had reached an agreement on two occasions but, when it came to the documentation stage, they backed away. We were going to build over the right of way because it doesn't serve any purpose, it doesn't go anywhere, but we couldn't because the neighbours wouldn't agree.

"So we have had to redesign the layout to allow the right of way to continue."

The supermarket complex will amalgamate the existing Four Square supermarket, cafe, Postshop, and bottle store currently on the main street, although Mr Teahan said it was too early to say how many jobs would be created.

"Because we're amalgamating the businesses we've got there already, those staff will still be employed, but it will be a bigger operation so there will be some jobs created."

The new design has been completed and will shortly be taken to the South Wairarapa District Council and to the people who commented on the last design for approval.

"The decision will be made by the council whether or not to go ahead with the new design, and they have been hugely supportive in wanting to ensure this moves along as speedily as possible."

South Wairarapa Mayor Adrienne Staples said the resource consent was still on hold at Trust House's request but would be finalised as soon as the "go ahead" was given by Trust House.

"We're as keen as anybody to get the process moving as soon as possible."

Mr Teahan said it was unlikely building would start before Christmas.

"It is hard to put a time line on it because it's in the hands of different parties, such as the council and the people who commented on the last design.

"It's been held up for 12 months, so we've had to create a different design, which takes time. So we need to have the different specifications drawn up and it needs to go out to tender, so in terms of building, it's unlikely that anything will happen in that respect before the end of the year because the process we're going through now will take about three to four months," he said.

The decision on what brand the supermarket will be is also yet to be finalised.

"We were talking about having a Four Square and it's unrealistic considering the population of Featherston to have a New World, so that's yet to be decided," Mr Teahan said.