Pak’nSave Wairau Given the Go-Ahead

NEWS RELEASE
EMBARGOED UNTIL 25 JANUARY 2008

Pak’nSave Wairau Given the Go-Ahead

Foodstuffs (Auckland) Limited has welcomed the granting of resource consents for its proposed PAK’nSAVE Wairau supermarket on Auckland’s North Shore.

The combined North Shore City Council and Auckland Regional Council consent hearing was held in November 2007.

“We are very pleased the commissioners have listened to the evidence in support of a PAK’nSAVE on Wairau Road and issued a decision which reflects the overwhelming public support we have,”says Murray Jordan, General Manager – Property Development, Foodstuffs (Auckland) Limited.

“Our Australian-owned competitors have thrown every obstacle possible at us over the years as we’ve tried to open this store. It’s been a long and hard battle which we’ve fought fairly.

“It’s high time they stepped back and let us get on with giving the people on the North Shore the second PAK’nSAVE they’ve so clearly demonstrated that they want.”

The Commissioner’s report, released yesterday (24th January 2008), stated “A large number of submitters in support noted the introduction of a supermarket would provide competition to existing southern sector supermarkets which would benefit their economic welfare” and also that the submitters “were highly critical of historic Australian-based (Progressive Enterprises) opposition to this proposal.”

Mr Jordan says “We would like to open this store as soon as possible, but given the past history of objections from our Australian competitors, we will wait to see whether the consents are appealed to the Environment Court.”

The appeal period for the resource consents expires on 18th February. Mr Jordan says the company will wait until the resource consents are finally confirmed before making any decision on construction start dates.

Foodstuffs (Auckland) Limited has been wanting to open a PAK’nSAVE on the Wairau Road site for 17 years, and received resource consent to build the supermarket in October 2004. Work commenced and the store was due to open in August 2005, creating 300 jobs in the area.

Foodstuffs’ competitor Progressive Enterprises, along with the Northcote Mainstreet Business Association, opposed the North Shore City Council’s granting of the consent on a non-notified basis, and the consent was overturned by the High Court in June 2005, forcing work on the supermarket to stop. The new consents were applied for and granted on a fully notified basis.

ENDS

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