Public in dark over hypermarket plan

An application for a revolutionary superstore - the first of its kind in New Zealand - is being considered without public submissions.

The proposal is for a hypermarket - a huge store combining a supermarket with general merchandise - which would cover 9100sq m on the corner of Great South Rd and Te Irirangi Drive in Manukau.

A decision from the Manukau City Council last month is allowing the application to proceed without public notice that may have brought submissions opposing it.

The decision was based on an independent report, which looked mainly at the impact of the proposal on retail competitors, but also at the impact on the environment.

The report said such effects would be "no more than minor" and the site would be logical for retail expansion.

Under the Resource Management Act, public notification is not required if the effects are minor.

Council resource consents manager Rod Dissmeyer said the consideration of non-notified applications usually took 20 days.

The proposal would retain the Caltex service station on the corner and relocate another shop on the site to within the hypermarket complex. There were no other shops on the site, Mr Dissmeyer said.

The hypermarket would operate under the supermarket chain Countdown, part of Progressive Enterprises.

Managing director Richard Umbers did not want to comment because the project was still in the planning process.

It would be the first hypermarket in New Zealand.

The application was made by developers Windermere Holdings. The site is at present owned by family company P. H. Van Den Brink, a leading player in the poultry industry.