Perth Voice Interactive

THE Supreme Court is to decide whether Maylands gets a 1000sqm Dan Murphy’s liquor barn that can sell liquor.

Woolworths already has permission from the local development assessments panel to build its grog palace but was last month refused a licence to sell alcohol.

Woolworths is appealing the WA liquor commission’s refusal, and if it fails it is unlikely to proceed with the long-planned $3.5 million development of the old Peninsula Tavern site.

While locals are happy for the old tavern to be redeveloped they’re opposed to the Dan Murphy’s element of the proposal: 1000 opposed it in a 2015 survey.

Local Labor MP Lisa Baker, a long-time opponent of the proliferaiton of liquor barns in Maylands, is confident the appeal will fail but isn’t happy locals are unable to put their case to the court without stumping up around $100,000 in legal fees.

“So this is the strategy that Woolworths considers acceptable?” she asks.

“To threaten communities and then out-spend them on legal warfare. This is not a shining example of corporate citizenship. Woolworths should hang their heads in shame.”

Coles went down the same legal path in 2010 with its plans for a 1250sqm First Choice outlet on Guildford Road, which was also opposed by locals. The outlet did not proceed.

by EMMIE DOWLING