Construction set to start on new Dargaville Countdown
Work will soon begin on a new Countdown store in Dargaville, set to open early in 2013.
Progressive Enterprises was recently granted resource consent for the new development, which will see a new supermarket built on Victoria Street, next door to the current Countdown store. The New Generation Countdown supermarket will be more than 50 per cent bigger than the current store, measuring 3500sqm.
Countdown expects to invest up to $22 million in developing Countdown Dargaville, including the purchase of the land, construction and supermarket fit-out.
Kaipara Mayor Neil Tiller expressed his support for the development. “The current Countdown store has been here for a long time,” he said. “The community needs a new supermarket, and I’m pleased to see Progressive Enterprises investing significantly in Dargaville.”
The store will be based on the customer-friendly New Generation Countdown look and feel, featuring wide aisles, self-service checkouts, 218 car parks and a Lotto outlet onsite. Progressive Enterprises also expects to employ approximately 120 people at the new supermarket, up from 86 staff members employed at the current store.
Brett Ashley, General Manager of Operations for Countdown said the company was looking forward to giving the Dargaville community a state-of-the-art supermarket.
“Once our new store is complete, customers will be able to shop for the freshest food in our expansive produce, meat, seafood and deli department and buy baked goods made daily in our full-service bakery.”
The new store will feature a range of environmental initiatives including a CO2 refrigeration plant system that will give significant energy efficiency benefits. Night blinds on refrigerated cabinets, sliding covers on freezers and energy efficient lighting among other things will also help minimise the store’s carbon footprint.
The existing Countdown supermarket will remain open throughout the construction process and will later be demolished to make way for more parking spaces. Mr Ashley said he hoped disruption would be minimal, and said that Countdown would keep all customers informed of progress and construction developments.
Part of the land for the new supermarket was acquired in a land swap agreement with the Dargaville Gardens Trust, which is very supportive of the venture.
“The Dargaville community, Kaipara District Council and Dargaville Gardens Trust have been fantastic throughout this entire process,” Mr Ashley said. “We thank everyone in Dargaville for their patience, and we are looking forward to getting construction underway and servicing the local community with a brand new supermarket.”
