By Jessica Micallef
Construction has come to a halt at a new Gisborne Aldi due to possible Indigenous significance at the site.
Work started on the supermarket giant’s Aitken Street building in March, however, construction stopped last week.
The company is now working with the traditional owners of the land to assess it for any Indigenous significance.
“Aldi, in conjunction with the Wurundjeri people, are assessing cultural sensitivity of the land in which the Gisborne store will be built,” an Aldi Australia spokesperson said.
Macedon Ranges council’s planning and environment director Angela Hughes said the council was not involved in the decision to stop construction.
“The council has not taken any action with regard to the halting of construction work at the proposed Gisborne Aldi site,” she said.
“The council has no information as to possible Indigenous significance at the site, as the information submitted with the original planning application indicated that no cultural heritage artefacts had been recorded on the site.
“We do not currently have a role to play in the matter, but should there be a statutory imperative that arises then the council will become involved.”
The council approved a planning permit to build an Aldi supermarket with accompanying car park in April, 2017. The council had earlier come under fire when it approved the sale of the land, long earmarked for a carpark, to Aldi for $600,000.
The permit was to expire if the development was not commenced within two years of issuing, the development was not completed within four years or the use of the site had not begun within two years of the completion.
The council extended Aldi’s permit on March 8, after the company ran into “unforeseen delays” last year.
The company now has until May 2025 to complete the development and the site must be used as a supermarket by May 2027.
Between 15-25 full-time and part-time jobs are expected to be created once the supermarket opens.
