Zoe Moffatt
Heading down to the local full line supermarket may be an afternoon chore for many, but for Diggers Rest residents grocery shopping is exacerbated by ongoing accessibility issues.
Local advocacy group, DREAM, launched in September 2022, is pushing for the development of a full line supermarket in Diggers Rest. A development advocates say should have happened years ago.
Group member John Verdon said having a full line supermarket in the town would increase accessibility for residents and be better for the environment.
“[A full line supermarket] allows shopping to be accessible to all, not just those who drive,” Mr Verdon said.
“Without a supermarket, residents rely on smaller convenience stores at added expense or travel to Sunbury… or Watergardens to access a variety of shops.
“Woolworths Sunbury is at least a 10 minute drive [and] Coles Sunbury is 15 minutes. This can be inconvenient and time consuming, especially for those without easy access to transportation.
“Let’s not forget about the environment. Residents needing to travel longer distances to access a supermarket or green grocery can lead to increased traffic congestion and increased carbon emissions.”
According to the Diggers Rest Precinct Structure Plan 2012 (PSP) one objective is to “deliver the local town centre early in the precinct’s development to establish its local amenity and aesthetic”.
The PSP also recommends the town centre should be “prominently located and anchored by a full line supermarket”.
“In the 2012 gazetted PSP it indicated that the town centre should be developed as early in the development of the estate as possible as it would be needed to support the community,” Mr Verdon said.
“Yet here we are 11 years later, no supermarket and not much of a retail precinct to speak of.
“An anchor tenant is needed for the retail precinct to support the suburb’s continued growth and meet the 15 minute city objectives of the government.”
Mr Verdon said he would like to see more action from the developer and Melton council, and he hopes a new supermarket would kickstart other amenities being built.
“It will also make it clear that the ’town centre’ including the community centre needs to be built to sustain a thriving community here in Diggers Rest,” he said.
“Because as of now we are quite simply a desert of any local government services or shopping infrastructure.”
A spokesperson from Bloomdale developer AVID Property Group said they are actively working on the delivery of the shopping centre and hopes to be in a position to make further announcements shortly.
“AVID has engaged with a supermarket provider and Melton council to see this important addition delivered to the community, in alignment with population growth,” the spokesperson said.
“We are very passionate about seeing the shopping centre delivered… [and are] pleased to be a key driver behind this development.”
Star Weekly understands that Melton council is involved in discussions with the developer, and expects to hear about concept plans for the site in the near future.
Melton council indicated that it is unable to provide a definite timeframe for the delivery of a supermarket, and while it has a role in providing input into precinct structure plans, it does not have responsibility for delivering retail services.
