‘We want Aldi’

By Melissa Meehan
THE FIGHT to bring discount supermarket Aldi to Springvale South continues.
Last July, Springvale Plaza trader David Butten told the Star that Aldi had approached the body corporate to open a supermarket on site.
If the body corporate agreed, Aldi then planned to apply to the City of Greater Dandenong for a permit to build a store in the plaza, in a move that Mr Butten said would revitalise trade in the area.
This week, Mr Butten confirmed the fight was still ongoing.
“Sadly we have yet to resolve the issue,” he said.
“So on the 30th of this month we are having a compulsory conference at VCAT.
“Hopefully that might resolve it.”
He said the majority of tenants were hopeful that Aldi would be able to move in and bring life to the plaza.
“We believe that without it this shopping centre will struggle to survive,” he said.
“It urgently needs an anchor tenant, without it we can’t afford to operate.”
Mr Butten said if traders could not come to a resolution they would then go before the VCAT commission.
Three owners are objecting to the supermarket moving in.
If Aldi gets the green light, it would be Greater Dandenong’s second Aldi supermarket, the first opened near the Dandenong Market in 2007.
The German supermarket chain is renowned worldwide for its low prices by selling its own brand and cutting costs by removing most shelving, charging for plastic bags and sourcing goods directly from local suppliers.
An Aldi spokesman confirmed the company’s interest in Springvale Plaza.
“Springvale South provides Aldi with an opportunity to service the Springvale South community,” he said.
“Historically Aldi stores have helped reinvigorate tired commercial precincts by increasing customer flow and spending which benefits other complementary businesses such as bakeries, newsagents and delis.”