500 cars hourly at New World

Up to 500 vehicles are expected to enter and exit the new Whitby New World supermarket every hour.

This is just one of many implications of the development being considered by Commissioner Christine Foster following a recent judicial hearing for Foodstuffs’ resource consent applications.

Ms Foster could issue her decision, which may include conditions, this week.

The hearing, which also received oral submissions from residents and Whitby Retirement Village, outlined the scale of Foodstuffs’ plans.

The floor area will be 3400sqm and the car park will have 167 spaces at ground level – which will be available for users of Adventure Park – as well as 147 underground.

Earthworks will generate about 250 truck movements from the site and could start early next year.

While there will be no restrictions on opening hours, it is proposed that no deliveries can be made before 7am and after 10pm.

Of the 20 submissions made, the 13 in support said a new supermarket was required to meet Whitby’s growth.

Other submitters expressed concern for the noise and traffic effects on the retirement village and bowling club, a lack of consultation with skatepark users, inadequate urban design assessment and the effect on nearby property values.

A pedestrian crossing will also be installed on Discovery Dr to improve access pedestrian access to the new supermarket and a stronger link to Whitby mall.

Foodstuffs’ property development manager Mark Lash told Kapi-Mana News there was some work to be done with groups like the retirement village and bowling club but they were confident they would allay their concerns.

‘‘We’re pretty comfortable where things are right now.’’

Should resource consent be granted, Mr Lash said the rest of this year would be spent planning for the supermarket’s construction.

He hoped the project could go to tender early next year, after which the contractor would release its own schedule.

The size, number of car parks and operating hours are still to be finalised.

Mr Lash hopes Whitby New World will be a catalyst for improvements at Whitby mall, the site of the current supermarket and set for major redevelopment.

He says talks are ongoing with the skatepark group, and Foodstuffs hope to have a draft skatepark design to present to them in the coming weeks.