Another proposal for a Woolworths in Erskineville is before
the Land and Environment Court,
and there have been rumours of yet another in Eveleigh. Community group The
Friends of Erskineville Village said it feared there would be a Woolworths
supermarket in the proposed Eveleigh fresh markets redevelopment, just a short
walk from their suburb.
The group said it hoped a recent Australian Competition and
Consumer Commission decision to block Woolworths from buying an ACT supermarket
on grounds of anti-competitiveness would discourage Woolworths from pursuing
more supermarkets in the area.
The ACCC was also preparing to outline steps to boost
competition in Australias
grocery sector after an inquiry into supermarket prices, which Erskineville
residents said it hoped would also dissuade the supermarket giant. Spokesperson
Laura MacFarlane said Erskineville already had two supermarkets within walking
distance and any more would be anti-competitive. The extremely close proximity
of the Alexandria
site to the Erskineville site would surely fit in with the ACCCs parameters of
being anti-competitive in terms of monopolisation within an area, she said.
A
Woolworths spokesman said the company had no plans for an Alexandria
store, however the company previously denied it was behind the Erskineville
supermarket DA, later admiting it had an agreement with the developer to
operate a Woolworths if the DA was approved.
Source: Central 27th August 2008