The much-anticipated Countdown Supermarket development in Alexandra is still more than a year away, according to developers, with construction to start later this year. 

Simon Wearing, of ICL Chartered Accountants Limited, is a Chartered Accountant acting for the Kilgour Family, who are long-term Alexandra residents and the name behind the development.

Simon told The Central App the project aims for a winter 2022 opening after years in the planning and permission processes. 

“We’ve been working on this project since 2011, with the first property on Centennial Avenue acquired in 2012,” he says. 

“Initially we were looking at a smaller format store but market research showed there was demand and catchment growth to support a larger format Countdown.  

“We’re currently working through the building design process and beginning to prepare the site to allow construction to start later this year.” 

The Alexandra Countdown development aims to begin construction in later 2021, for an opening in winter 2022. Image contributed. 

The development has long been on the horizon with locals eagerly anticipating the opening for the better part of a decade. 

“As noted, we are currently working through the building design process and then will develop working drawings and move into the construction phase,” Simon says. 

“Breen Construction has been engaged to be the main contractor.”

Initially it was largely the family with the support of Simon Wearing from ICL Chartered Accountants and Kirsten Knights from Checketts McKay Law.  

“We’ve worked closely with Woolworths as the project has been developed, in particular their Southern Portfolio Manager, Peter Buchan,” Simon says.  

“When we applied for resource consent we engaged a team of advisers to cover legal, noise, traffic, planning, economic, and construction issues.  

“Matt Curran from Land Pro in Cromwell was the key contact as we worked through this process, with Joshua Leckie from Lane Neave (supported by Annabel Hawkins) responsible for the hearing strategy.  

“As we move into the building design and construction phase we are being supported by a Construction Consultant, Tony Dawson from Perigon Limited.”

The Alexandra Countdown is funded by the local Kilgour family, with support from local businesses, and says it will create a net gain of about 50 jobs. 

After passing through a lengthy appeal process, the project was green-lit so long as a number of factors were rectified, which were highlighted by the Central Otago District Council resource consent phase. 

“The team was thrilled with the outcome,” Simon says. 

“Even though we felt we had a compelling case for a supermarket adjacent to the existing Business Resource zone, and had offered up a number of mitigations to appease concerns about the impact on the residential amenity, you can never be too confident that consent will be granted.”

“It’s been a long process to get to this point and at different times we wondered if we were going to get it across the line.  

“We have stuck with it with the support of many people and are excited about what the development means for Alexandra and the surrounding area.  

“As well as providing another choice for customers, once it is complete it is expected to create a net gain of around 50 jobs.  

“When you consider this alongside some of the other developments, and prospective developments, that are happening locally, this is exciting for the future of our town.”

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