Super land swap

Jessica Benton
A NEW supermarket for St Leonards is paving the wayto future retail development in the town, according to a community group.
St Leonards Progress Association secretary Bob Hynes said the plan to build a second supermarket in the main street was the start of sweeping change to the retail precinct.
“There’s going to be a lot of movement in the street and it’s all for the good of the community,” Mr Hynes said.
“The town is really booming and it’s all positive.”
City of Greater Geelong council voted this week to exchange a council-owned allotment in Murrodoc Road for an adjoining block to accommodate the supermarket.
Developer St Leonards Retail Properties bought 1370-1372 Murrodoc Road but the site’s shape was unsuitable for a supermarket.
The developer requested to swap with council’s adjoining block, a car park.
As part of the agreement, the developer will sell the rear of its site to council for future parking and rear access to the supermarket and other shops.
Public toilets will be included in the development to replace council amenities.
Council will sell 514 square metres of its land to the developer for $427,000. The developer will exchange it’s 916 square metres for $426,000.
The council land will require rezoning for business purposes.
Ward councillor John Doull said the swap made sense.
“We’ll be supporting the local shopping precinct and this will give a larger supermarket with more variety and competition for the community,” he said.
“Council actually comes off on top because we’re getting a larger parcel of land.”
Cr Doull called for “a sensibly designed and appropriate” supermarket.
Mr Hynes said St Leonards had joined other Bellarine Peninsula towns like Ocean Grove and Drysdale as a growth area.
“The area has really developed in the past 12 months,” he said.
“There are two or three houses going up each week.”
Mr Hynes said the community had welcomed the supermarket development.
“A lot of people have been mostly happy,” he said.
“I think it is needed because the existing supermarket is very small and there’s not much room for expansion.
“This will be a win-win situation for everyone.”