Aldi buys Captain Stirling shops

Aldi has bought the Captain Stirling Shopping Centre in Nedlands, with the store expected to be among the first of 20 the Germany-based retail giant intends to open in Western Australia between June and December next year.

The centre, which is currently anchored by an IGA supermarket, was put to market earlier this year by Colliers International.

Aldi WA managing director Viktor Jakupek said the acquisition was part of a $450 million investment by Aldi in WA, with more than 70 stores in the planning pipeline.

“The acquisition of the Nedlands site is an exciting step forward for Aldi in WA,” Mr Jakupec said.

“We’re finding Western Australian shoppers are becoming more and more curious about what we have to offer.

“Everything we do at Aldi is designed to help Australian shoppers live richer for less.

“We’re keen to show Western Australians the benefits Aldi has to offer not only their wallets, but also their lifestyle.”

The Nedlands Aldi adds to a growing list of confirmed locations for the WA expansion.

Planning approvals are in place for stores at Lakeside Joondalup Shopping City and also in Kwinana, Cannington, Southern River, Halls Head, Rockingham, Australind, South Lake, Camillo, Midland, Mundaring and Ellenbrook.

To facilitate the expansion, Aldi is building a distribution centre at Jandakot Airport, with local construction firm Georgiou well advanced on the works.

The distribution facility is expected to be complete by Easter 2016.

Aldi's Nedlands store is also across the road from the Woolworths-owned Captain Stirling Hotel, which has been subject to a long-running battle with local residents over redevelopment plans.

Woolworths has proposed to build a 8,873 square metre retail facility at the Captain Stirling Hotel site, submitting two separate applications to the City of Nedlands since 2012 to change the area's planning scheme to allow for the development.

But the City of Nedlands rejected both of those proposals, most recently in December last year.

At a council meeting late last year, City of Nedlands councillors said the proposal was not in line with the state government's planning framework and did not adequately integrate with the surrounding area. 

A council spokesperson today said local residents had been outspoken in their objection to the development, primarily over traffic concerns, an issue which the City of Nedlands said was not addressed by the Woolworths proposal.

Nonetheless, a Woolworths spokesperson said the supermarket chain would continue to investigate the possibility of redeveloping the site.

"We believe there is demand from local shoppers for a convenient, accessible, full-range supermarket in the Nedlands area," the spokesperson said.

"We are continuing to review our options in respect of the Captain Stirling Hotel site following council's decision in December."