Parklands supermarket extension ‘not needed’

Press, 31 March 1983, Page 5

Parklands supermarket extension ‘not needed’

Further commercial development in Parklands was not needed, the Planning Tribunal was told yesterday. Mr D. A. Bryce, a consultant planner, was giving evidence supporting an appeal against Waimairi District Council permission for extensions on the rear of the Super Value supermarket in the Parklands shopping centre.

Foodstuffs (Chch), Ltd, and Foodstuffs (Chch) Properties, Ltd, have appealed against the council’s decision to grant Prime Projects, Ltd, a specified departure to extend its Super Value supermarket on to adjoining residentially zoned land. Mr Bryce said there was

no need for commercial development additional to that provided for under the council’s District Scheme for the long-term development of Parklands. The proposed extensions would detrimentally affect the potential of adjoining land for residential development. Mr D. D. Hinman, a Waimairi District Council planner, told the tribunal that the extensions would be in the public interest, and would have little town and country planning significance beyond the immediate vicinity of the land concerned.

Mr R. D. tdcGurk, manager of the Super Value supermarket, said he sought the extensions because the floor area of his present

shop limited the number of departments it could contain.

He said that the Parklands shopping centre did not provide the public with its day-to-day shopping needs. A significant number of local shoppers did their day-to-day food shopping out of the district.

“If things go on as they are now ... a number of the specialty shops (in the centre) will be forced to close. If this happens ... the community centre function of the Parklands shopping centre would die and all that would be left is a grocery business surrounded by empty shops,” Mr McGurk said. The tribunal reserved decision.