Esselunga in Genoa, third act: green light from the Municipality for the new market in Sestri Ponente

Genoa – Esselunga, third act. After via Piave and San Benigno, the Lombard group of large commercial distribution is preparing to land also in the Genoese Ponente, in the former Cognetex area, between via Hermada and via Albareto, in Sestri. And, beyond the Genoese borders, it also sets its sights on the Rapallo area.
Last week, the Bucci council approved the resolution for the adoption of the operational urban planning project (Puo), a first planning act, presented by the city planning councilor Mario Mascia, which paves the way for the construction in Sestri of a large commercial structure of 3,400 square meters, under the Esselunga brand. After the opening of the 1,495 square meter store in via Piave at the end of 2020, and the work in progress to build another large 3,200 square meter facility in San Benigno, this will therefore be the third Esselunga store in Genoa. In an area which, however, unlike the other two, still has a rich and varied commercial fabric.
The area involved in the operation, between via Hermada and via Albareto, was bought in 2010 by Immobiliare Levante, the operating arm of the Lombard giant, later incorporated into Esselunga itself. There was also the possibility of carrying out the Esselunga operation in this area or not a long legal battle between the group and the municipality, through appeals and counter-appeals to administrative justice, which ended in 2018, with a sentence of the Council of State in favor of Esselunga. On 15 January, therefore, the Lombard group had presented a petition to the Municipality to request the initiation of the procedure necessary for the adoption of the Puo.
The company explained that it wanted to proceed with the demolition of the existing buildings in the Sestri area to create a new multi-storey building, intended to house a large area for the sale of foodstuffs, with on the roof there is a public car park with about 140 spaces and greenery, and interventions for the hydraulic arrangement of the terminal shaft of the Chiaravagna stream.
The new commercial building will be built on a usable area of ​​6,434 square meters, of which 3,400 intended for net sales area. The building will have parking spaces and greenery on the roof, and Esselunga will also take care of hydraulic adaptation works, which must be carried out before the supermarket works begin. The construction of a new embankment wall on the right bank of the Chiaravagna stream, an access ramp to the riverbed and a service road are planned. Now, the operational urban planning project approved by the Bucci council will be sent to the Region to check whether the strategic environmental assessment must be submitted, and the urban planning agreement between Esselunga and the Municipality must also be stipulated.
For now, no comment arrives from the city planning councilor Mascia, and yesterday in the city council it was not discussed the question for immediate response, presented by Alberto Pandolfo of the Pdand to which the councilor for commerce Paola Bordilli should have answered.
The councilor asked the junta for information on the Sestri operation, and it also raises the question of “the right balance to be guaranteed between the fabric of small commerce and large distribution”. “I do not think it is a coincidence that my question ended up at the bottom of the list and was not discussed in the courtroom – comments Pandolfo – Nobody wants to wage war on supermarkets, but the administration should guarantee balanced development, while it is not so. My proposal is that a new supermarket be allowed to open for every 20 new shops that raise the shutter ».
Esselunga’s expansion plans in Liguria, however, they do not stop in Genoa, and also look to the Ligurian Riviera del Levante, as a confirmation the mayor of Rapallo Carlo Bagnasco. «It is true that Esselunga has expressed interest in the area of ​​our municipality where the Macera field is located, but – explains Bagnasco – it is not the only large-scale distribution group that has declared an interest in that area. So far, however, we have not received any formal proposals ». The mayor points out, however, that “if we are presented with a project that is not limited to the commercial structure but which – emphasizes Bagnasco – also provides for an overall redevelopment of that area, our administration is fully willing to evaluate it and to welcome it if it is consistent with our objectives “.