Second supermarket proposal lodged

The new IGA application is for the development of the land for a shop (including two supermarkets and bottle shops) and gymnasium, use of land for the sale of liquor, development of a medical centre, community centre and associated buildings and works.

The development of additional retail and supermarket capacity in Shepparton North has been in dispute for more than a decade, with long-standing plans for rival developments on the IGA site and further north along Numurkah Rd at Ford Rd both failing to proceed.

Allowing both to be built would have breached the retail cap for the precinct, which is designed to protect higher order retail precincts such as the CBD.

Various proposals have been put forward for the site on Ford Rd over the past decade, all opposed by the existing Fairleys SUPA IGA supermarket, which has long held a permit for two supermarkets and associated retail and shops 400 metres south on Hawkins St.

The stalemate reached the Victorian Supreme Court before the state Planning Minister was asked to intervene and appoint an advisory committee.

Developer Lascorp recently revealed plans for a state-of-the-art mixed-use development on the corner of Ford and Numurkah roads, which varies from previous proposals in that it no longer requires a rezoning of the land to Commercial 1.

The new proposal from Lascorp would focus on bulky goods rather than a full-service supermarket, which the developer said was consistent with the current planning policy for the Commercial 2 Zone, which applies to the site.

Fresh planning applications for both sites come prior to the expected release in September of a new draft Shepparton North Activity Centre Structure Plan.