Locals Say No to Woolworths

The DA for a two-storey, 2200sq m supermarket with 27 car spaces has come under fire from residents who are concerned it will cause traffic congestion and impact on the village atmosphere for which Erskineville is famous.

The shopping giant had previously denied it was behind the DA, which was lodged by Artro Management on behalf of an unknown developer who owns the site.

Resident group Friends of Erskineville Village has so far collected 4500 signatures opposing the supermarket, and has criticised favourable comparisons made in the DA with two boutique Woolworths supermarkets in Inner Sydney.

"The DA used comparisons to two Woolworths supermarkets to support assertions the traffic impacts on local roads will be minimal," Friends of Erskineville spokesman Paul Howard said.

"The. DA argues that the bulk of customers would walk, as at the Woolworths at St Margarets Surry Hills and another one at Potts Point.

"What it misses is that both those supermarkets are smaller and have far more people in their catchment area than what's proposed here."

According to Mr Howard, St Margarets has 11,500 residents living within half a kilometre radius of the supermarket, while the Potts Point Woolworths has almost 18,000.

"We have a fraction of the population, just 3500 residents, yet the supermarket proposed here is bigger than the other two, so we don't believe it will be people just walking, they will

want to drive," he said. "We estimate more than 80 per cent of the trading base will be from outside the area."

A Woolworths spokesman said the proposed store would reflect its "successful" stores in Surry Hills and Potts Point.

"They have been designed especially with the needs of these distinct urban communities in mind," the spokesman said. "They are of a smaller size, have a strong emphasis on foot traffic and, as such, they are trolley free."

The matter is expected to come before Sydney Council in coming months.

Picture: Phil Rogers - Erskineville residents oppose a new Woolworths at this site for traffic reasons.