Edgar Adams' Editorial

Fortunately, Council stuck to their guns and didn’t give in. Woolies lost out and didn’t like it!!
An appropriate shopping centre has now been built at Wadalba and the Wyong Plaza shopping centre was able to be redeveloped.  As it turns out Woolworths aren’t in either.

Now we have a similar situation with Warnervale except that Woolworths tried to be a bit cleverer this time and instead of working through Council they went to the Minister for Planning. Though only in the nick of time.

Council had been considering the development of the Warnervale Town Centre for a number of years and were fast coming to a decision on two locations on Sparks Road that would see a true Town Centre with all the necessary community facilities. But Woolworths were out of the loop again as they didn’t own any of the land. When they had woken up it was too late so they bought some land further up the hill, not on the main road and put up their own proposal for a town centre.

In mid 2006 Council had got to a point where they were about the decide on the Warnervale Town Centre Masterplan.  It was expected that they would approve on of the two options adjacent to Sparkes Road even though Council staff were supporting Woolworths. A point to understand here is that if Woolworths does get its own way they will have a monopoly on Warnervale where as with the other options they would not be the sole retailer.

And then, the day before Council was to meet, the Minister for Planning ‘called’ it in on the basis that it was ‘State Significant’. How convenient!  For Woolworths that is.

Anyway the Masterplan has been on exhibition and is now in the hands of the Minister. The question is will he consider the good of the people of Warnervale or the good of Woolworths.

Edgar Adams
Editor

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