In a recent online survey 53% of participants preferred to see supermarket chain Coles established in Bloomdale ahead of Aldi and Woolworths.
For many years the growth of Diggers Rest has been uncertain due to Melbourne Airport Environs Overlay, Green Wedge Zones and the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB).
In 2008, land at 2-40 Old Calder Highway was rezoned to accommodate mixed use like retail, office space and residential.
According to Melton City Council, the future growth of the Diggers Rest Township is confined by the UGB, which in its current form will allow the township to grow to around 14,000 residents.
Using the current estimates, this should take between 12 to 14 years to achieve.
At present, the criteria to sustain a full line supermarket requires an immediate catchment population in excess of 20,000.
Many residents (both new and existing) have invested in this community in the belief that a shopping centre is not too far away.
Meanwhile, the Foodworks neighbourhood supermarket in Glitter Road offers a wide range of basic grocery lines.
We may well start to see smaller lot sizes established to help create the critical mass required to fully sustain a full-line supermarket for Diggers Rest.
However, despite the constraints the developers for Bloomdale remain hopeful of a store opening in 2019 and are doing all they can to try and make that happen.
Use the following link to view the detailed survey results:
https://goo.gl/CcLlDX