Progressive Enterprises Ltd, owners of the Countdown brand, is heading into court-assisted mediation on August 14 after receiving two appeals to the Stratford District Council consent for a new Countdown supermarket in town.
Liam Dagg, the council's director of environmental services, says that "it's heartening the parties have agreed to engage in mediation and not proceed directly to court, at the very least it provides a forum where issues and possible solutions can be actively discussed, which is a different ball game to the more structured formality of the court room".
Liam says after the two appeals were received following the release of the commissioners' decision in mid-May it was suggested that court-ordered mediation be the first step at coming to an agreement.
The mediation will involve representatives from the council, the appellants and New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA). Liam says that while the NZTA will be at the meeting as part of the mediation process, "they they neither support or oppose the reasons for the appeal".
If a resolution cannot be agreed at mediation, the next stage would be for the parties to go to court - which means it could take months before a decision is reached.
