A sprawling derelict supermarket that has been waiting years for redevelopment has finally been fenced off after complaints vandalism, vermin and antisocial behaviour were plaguing the site.
The former Captain Stirling Shopping Centre on Stirling Highway in Nedlands was purchased by Aldi in 2015, with the German retailer’s plans to demolish existing buildings and a $10 million redevelopment approved by State planners in 2018.
But more than four years later, the supermarkets remain in a dilapidated state with rubbish strewn across the site, many windows smashed and graffiti everywhere.
Residents have also reported squatters to City of Nedlands councillors.
The city issued a notice to Aldi on December 16 last year to secure the site.
It welcomed a fence erected around the supermarkets on the Christmas break as a “first step in curbing antisocial behaviour at the site”.
City CEO Bill Parker said the site development was at Aldi’s discretion.
“But we are looking forward to the creation of a vibrant, communal shopping precinct,” he said.
One neighbour told PerthNow since the supermarkets closed down, a string of houses in the area had been sold off.
“It used to be such a friendly and lovely area and now the neighbourhood has been ruined,” she said.
“When I took the shortcut through the carpark, there was rubbish that was stinking and disgusting.”
The neighbour said rats and cockroaches sometimes made their way to her property from the site, which also had “disreputable looking people hanging around”.
“We just want it built on. We don’t want a derelict site that is going to attract vermin and antisocial behaviour,” she said.
Another resident said she had called police twice — including once this week — due to people apparently experiencing mental health episodes and needing assistance.
Woolworths bought the neighbouring Captain Stirling Hotel site several years ago and proposed a $40 million redevelopment that included a supermarket and retaining the hotel.
Its plans were held up due to heritage concerns in mid-2020, but the approval process was recently restarted with the supermarket advertising its proposal to the City of Nedlands in November and December last year.
Aldi was reached for comment.
Denial of responsibility! planetcirculate is an automatic aggregator around the global media. All the content are available free on Internet. We have just arranged it in one platform for educational purpose only. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, all materials to their authors. If you are the owner of the content and do not want us to publish your materials on our website, please contact us by email – [email protected]. The content will be deleted within 24 hours.
