Rival Proposals For Supermarket

Press, Issue 32345, 10 July 1970, Page 19

Rival Proposals For Supermarket

Rival claims for ai supermarket at the' Pages Road - Breezes . Road shopping block were put to the No. 1 Town and Country Planning Appeal Board yesterday. The co-owner of' an existing grocery said , he had been asked to sell out and run one of the supermarkets. In September, the City Council granted a specified departure to Messrs B. W. and J. W. McNab, building contractors (Mr K. S. Hadfield), to enable them to build a supermarket at 307 and 321 Pages Road. This was appealed against yesterday by Duncan McLean, Ltd (Mr B J. Drake), and by Messrs W. J. Henderson and R. J. Musson (Mr B. Hudson). They are directors of Mussons Store. 325 Pages Road. Mr A. H. Young appeared for the City Council. Mr Drake said that Duncan McLean, Ltd, was a whollyowned subsidiary of Foodstuffs (Chch), Ltd. The two companies had for the last six years systematically ' bought land, and now had bought or had agreement to buy all the land from the post office east to Breezes Road except the land immediately adjoining the post office which was owned by Mr Musson, a member of the Four Square organisation, associated with Foodstuffs (Chch), Ltd. The land was zoned commercial A and it was likely that commercial development would be along Breezes Road, and not Pages Road. “McLeans and Foodstuffs guessed right on the future zoning in Breeezs Road and over six years have acquired an ideal site.” said Mr Drake. “They are now faced with another application to put up a so-called supermarket, far too small to be regarded as a supermarket, which could inhibit the development of the locality.” Land Purchases Mr N. R. Thomas, merchandising manager of Foodstuffs (Chch), Ltd, said that more than $60,000 had been spent on buying more than an acre of land in four properties on Breezes Road and one on Pages Road. The development plan had regard to avoiding traffic hazards in Pages Road. The McNab land, west of the post office, was zoned residential. They proposed to put up a 4850 square foot building, of which one-third would be needed for services. The scheme would inhibit use of land in the commercial zone and would produce unnecessary traffic problems. McLeans and Foodstuffs proposed to have 13.000 square feet of space, and to make provision for specialty shops. To Mr Hadfield, Mr Thomas denied that his firm sought a monopoly. This was proved at Bishopdale and Riccarton Mall. Two supermarkets could work harmoniously at Pages Road and his firm would go ahead in any Mr Musson said there were 19 separate retail businesses at the Pages Road-Breezes Road shops and he had interests in Mussons General Store and Aranui Stores, Ltd, 338 Pages Road. He knew that a supermarket did not suit all customers. The McNab site was congested and the building would not be adequate. “I am interested in the development planned by Duncan McLean, Ltd, in that they have indicated that they will want to buy the land occupied by Musson’s Store and acquire the business," said

{Mr Musson. “They have fur-j ther indicated that they will: offer me the right to run the supermarket. I have made I no decisions.” Rezoning Proposed Mr W. T. Williams, staff planning officer for the City Council, said the McNab land was now zoned residential A and rezoning to commercial was proposed in the review scheme. The shopping centre served a rapidly-expanding district, Wainoni and Aranui having an estimated population of 12,700 in 1966. Mr B. W. McNab said he and his brother owned the land on which it was proposed to build. To Mr Drake, he said the ownership of the land was being transferred to them. He and his brother would not run the supermarket, but would lease it. They were being advised by agents. { Mr Drake said that the McNabs’s lawyer held the title to the property. There was a contract that showed G.U.S. Properties in effect to be the buyers and not the McNabs. Mr McNab said G.U.S. Properties, Ltd, had acted as agents for him and his brother. They had not been parties to the contract. Mr K. R. Bimler, assistant general manager of Grocers United Stores, Ltd, holders of the I.G.A. and Super Value supermarkets franchise in the South Island, said the intention was for the company to lease the building from the McNabs. The hearing was adjourned until this morning.