Grocery top spots free in Dickson

The ACT Government yesterday called for expressions of interest in the site after confirming its plans to build a further two supermarkets near the current Woolworths store last year.

Aldi has already been offered one of the spots under the Government's supermarket competition policy, but a full-line retailer is yet to secure the third position.

ACT Planning Minister Andrew Barr said it was highly likely Coles would apply, particularly given Dickson's current Woolworths store consistently broke records for being the company's busiest in Australia.

''We all know who the other major players are [besides Woolworths] but this is open to more than just Coles,'' he said.

''I would anticipate that Supabarn, Supa IGA and a range of other players, possibly from interstate or overseas, will be interested in this site.''

Mr Barr added that he had no preference over which supermarket provider might win the opportunity.

The two new supermarkets will be built on the car park on the corner of Antill and Badham streets after a community survey gained 60 per cent support for the option in December last year.

The other option - to separate the buildings so that one was built on the car park between the Dickson Library and Baptist Memorial Church - received only 27 per cent support.

Mr Barr yesterday admitted that traffic and parking delays were likely during the construction phase but said the Government would work with developers to create temporary car parks to ease the congestion.

He pointed out that construction would be held off until after the summer months so visitors could utilise the car park at the Dickson swimming pool.

''There will be disruption,'' he said. ''At the completion of the project, though, there will be ample car parking as more underground car parking will be constructed.''

A spokesman for the minister later said construction was unlikely to start before next year.