Coles has cleared its first hurdle to open a supermarket in New Norfolk, but residents won’t be filling their trolleys any time soon.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) last week approved Coles’ acquisition of a leasehold interest at 120 Glebe Road, the current site of the Phoenix Garden Centre.
The lease will be secured from Tipalea, the developer that recently purchased the site at the corner of Hobart and Glebe roads.
The company is also behind developments in Devonport, Kingston and Glebe Hill.
The ACCC assessed whether the acquisition would substantially lessen competition and determined it would not.
“The ACCC has determined that the acquisition may be put into effect as it considers that the acquisition is unlikely to have the effect of substantially lessening competition in any market,” the watchdog said in its determination.
The regulator noted Coles has no current presence in the area. Its nearest store, at Bridgewater, is 18.5km away by road.
“The acquisition would introduce a competing grocery retailer to the existing full line Woolworths supermarket and the smaller IGA X-Press in New Norfolk,” the determination said.
“The target site is not currently used for grocery retailing.”
New Norfolk’s population has grown from 6,037 at the 2021 Census to an estimated 7,831 in late 2025 – a 7.4% increase.
