Rejigged supermarket finds favour

SUPPLIED

ARTIST'S IMPRESSION: The proposed new Countdown supermarket on Belgium St.

The long-awaited supermarket on Belgium St is a step closer after Auckland Council agreed Countdown's parent company Progressive Enterprises' application for resource consent should be processed on a limited notified basis.

Resource consent by Progressive Enterprises Ltd for 13, 15, 17 and 19 Belgium St and 20, 22, 24, 26 and 28 Putiki Rd will not be publicly notified as council officers have deemed the activity is likely to have no more than minor effects on the environment.

Because the consent will be processed on a limited notified basis, just the immediate neighbours of 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 Putiki Rd and 10, 11, 14, 16 and 21 Belgium St and Ngati Paoa will be asked for their input.

Those notified have until January 23 to enter submissions.

Plans for the new supermarket reveal it will have a gross retail floor area of 3290 square metres set behind five retail outlets of 52 square metres along the Belgium St frontage.

There will also be a 200 square metre office on a mezzanine level above the retail outlets at the western end of the building.

Parking will be mainly underground with 136 parking spaces in a covered area under the building, 19 more outside along the western boundary and 24 at the rear by Putiki Rd.

A travelator will connect shoppers from the basement to the supermarket.

Outside, a 3.5-metre wide footpath will extend along Belgium St covered by canopies from the new retail outlets. A plaza in front of the supermarket entry and exit, and two other retail shops, will be partially covered by a roof canopy.

The building will be 10.2 metres high – eight metres is the allowed height according to the Hauraki Gulf Islands District Plan. It will be two storeys high, rising to three at the rear of the site due to the increase in height of Putiki Rd.

It will be constructed out of textured precast concrete panels with timber panels, fibre cement cladding and glass panels.

The colours will be neutral tones along with Countdown's regular trademark colours.

The supermarket will operate seven days a week and while its opening hours have yet to be confirmed they will be consistent with other stores in the Auckland region.

- Waiheke Marketplace