iPlanning Services lodged the application for the block at 48 Albert Street on behalf of Virshill Pty Ltd and the proposal is currently in the advertising phase until the end of the month.   

The commercial 1-zoned site, which is situated between the Creswick CFA and the town’s splash park, would be transformed into a 1434 square metre supermarket, equipped with 76 car parks. 

Creswick already has a Foodworks supermarket on Albert Street, which sits opposite the site of the proposed development. 

Creswick Ward councillors Greg May and Don Henderson both said it was too early to determine whether the proposal would be beneficial to the town given how few details have been provided.

“It’s always interesting (how people react) in a small community,” Hepburn Shire mayor Sebastian Klein said of the development.  “Competition is always good for prices and there’s a significant amount of people who are always looking for the best deal.” 

A planning permit had previously been issued in 2008 to build an IGA supermarket on the site, however the permit lapsed after four years. 

While the planning documents do not detail what chain of supermarket would be built, a spokesperson confirmed it would not be Coles.  

The matter will go before the council if the project is deemed to be worth more than $2 million or if at five planning-based objections are lodged. 

As of Friday the proposal had received two objections, both from the same address.  Among the concerns listed were the lack of a taxi rank out the front of building, concern about potential danger to children due to the proximity to the splash park, only one disability parking zone for customers and pollution worries for the creek at the rear of the site.