Bunnings Gets Go-Ahead For New Sydney Store

Bunnings has been given permission to build a new store in a suburb of Sydney, Australia.

The application for a store in an industrial area in the suburb of Rozelle was originally turned down but has since been approved by the New South Wales Land and Environment Court, subject to conditions around opening hours and deliveries.

The development is expected to cost in the region of $11 million and will see a number of buildings demolished to build a three-storey store with 74 car parking spaces and a barbecue area.

Locals and councillors have expressed concern that traffic conditions will worsen in an area that is already suffering from heavy traffic congestion and affect trade at independent hardware stores in the area.  A WestConnex construction site - a 33-kilometre predominately underground motorway scheme, currently under construction in Sydney - is just a few hundred metres away from the proposed development.

Balmain MP, Jamie Parker, said: "enforcing [the conditions] is next to impossible. While the community did manage to get some changes that would reduce the impact of the development, it's still an overdevelopment.". 

Bunnings requested that the store be allowed to open between 6am and 10pm, Monday to Saturday, but the court suggested that 7am to 9pm was more reasonable. Sunday opening times of 8am to 6pm were proposed.

Furthermore, only 15 truck deliveries will be allowed per day from January to November, with 20 allowed each day in December.

Bunnings has said it is "pleased" with the court's ruling and agreed to satisfy the conditions.

Source : Insight DIY Team

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