By Casey Neill
A Healesville ALDI store should start taking shape next month.
An ALDI Australia spokeswoman said construction was expected to start in February but an opening date for the Maroondah Highway store was not yet finalised.
“We are eager to bring our unique shopping experience to the Healesville community,” she said.
“At this stage we are finalising the appointment of our builder so we can commence construction of the store.
“We will keep the community updated as the construction of our store progresses.”
In August 2017, Yarra Ranges Council faced a double-headed appeal to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) about the store.
ALDI appealed against the conditions attached to a permit granted in April, and objectors called for a review of the council’s decision.
The main sticking point for ALDI was a requirement to reduce the overall building height from 7.42 metres to 7 metres at the front, and from 11.26 metres to 9.6 metres along the Church and River street frontages.
Objectors’ concerns included building’s scale and height and lack of an ‘active shop front’.
The matter was resolved at a mediation meeting, so a full VCAT hearing was not required.
