Pak'nSave Te Awamutu Finally Able to Go Ahead

Foodstuffs (Auckland) Limited is delighted it can finally bring PAK’nSAVE’s policy of New Zealand’s lowest food prices to Te Awamutu after three years of legal battles. The Court of Appeal today dismissed the application by General Distributors Ltd (GDL), a subsidiary of Progressive Enterprises, for special leave to appeal the High Court’s decision to the Court of Appeal. This was the last appeal option available to Progressive after the High Court also rejected an application for leave to appeal, and finally opens the way for the PAK’nSAVE to open.

In December 2008 the High Court upheld the Environment Court decision to allow a plan change to the Waipa District Plan. This plan change results in a zoning change to allow for a retail development, including a PAK’nSAVE, on Cambridge Rd in Te Awamutu. The Plan Change for the project was approved by the Waipa District Council in 2006, but the subsequent appeal lodged by Progressive with the Environment Court in 2007 delayed further progress. Progressive appealed the Environment Court’s decision to the High Court, which also dismissed Progressive’s appeal. Progressive then sought leave to appeal the High Court’s decision to the Court of Appeal. That application for leave was dismissed by the High Court in February and the final option to the Court of Appeal has now also been lost.

Foodstuffs (Auckland) General Manager – Property Strategy, Angela Bull says the outcome is exciting news for the residents of Te Awamutu, many of whom travel as far afield as Hamilton in search of PAK’nSAVE’s policy of New Zealand’s lowest food prices.

“The people of Te Awamutu have been waiting for years for PAK’nSAVE’s low prices to come to their town,” commented Angela Bull. “This is the end of the Court process and we can finally get the PAK’nSAVE in Te Awamutu underway. We will now look to lodge a resource consent for the PAK’nSAVE within the next few weeks so that we can open the PAK’nSAVE as soon as possible.”

The planned PAK’nSAVE supermarket and fuel outlet will be complemented by a range of other retail outlets on site.

All Foodstuffs stores are 100% New Zealand-owned and operated. Foodstuffs brands include PAK’nSAVE, New World, Four Square, Gilmours, Duffy & Finn’s and Liquorland.