Two, one or none? Mernda’s supermarket wars took a left turn last week, leaving Whittlesea councillors and locals divided over opposing plans by duopoly giants Coles and Woolworths.
Planners had recommended rejection of a Coles proposal to develop a stand-alone supermarket on the opposite corner to the two-supermarket complex earmarked as part of Mernda’s official town centre plan.
Instead, a council decision gave the go-ahead for Coles to submit its proposal, rendering Mernda’s town centre plan a “shambles”, according to Mernda Residents Development Group spokesman William Sharpe.
In its 2004 town centre plan, Mernda has a place set aside for two “full-line” supermarkets, albeit both auspiced by landowner Woolworths, which has so far failed to deliver one, let alone two, on its 25-hectare site spanning the south-east corner of the Bridge Inn Road-Plenty Road intersection.
This is despite Woolworths having a permit dating back a decade.
Mr Sharpe questioned Woolworths’ commitment to Mernda’s town centre plan, pointing out the supermarket giant had only recently proposed the go-ahead of one of the two planned supermarkets [its own] in an application lodged with council earlier this year.
Members of the Mernda and Doreen Multicultural Association believe giving the green light to Coles will jeopardise the public transport and road upgrades promised by Woolworths as part of the town centre plan.
“Fabcot [Woolworths] will now be emboldened to drastically alter the proposed town centre into another stand-alone ‘big box’ shopping centre,” association vice-president Binu Parakkadavth said.
He said the association believed compromising of the town centre plan would “have serious ramifications for Mernda and Doreen as attractive suburbs”.
Whittlesea council planning and major projects director Steve O’Brien denied Mernda’s town centre plan was under threat, although the planning report before councillors last Tuesday night clearly stated: “It is considered that these changes will alter the ability to achieve the long-term town centre outcome envisaged.”
“The Mernda Town Centre Development Plan … remains in place and unless a formal amendment is approved, development must be generally in accordance with that plan,” Mr O’Brien said.
