Southern Cross Developers has been engaged by local investment companies associated with John Colquhoun to build a $2 million extension on the northern side of the store, opened in September, 2002.

The Colquhoun companies bought the former Hertz vehicle rental premises last year and obtained planning consent for a 1649sq m extension.

Southern Cross recently built a $4.5 million recreation centre for Kensington Gardens retirement village at Thurgoona.

It will build a similar one at Shepparton.

Managing director John Tyrrell inspected the site with project manager Adam White yesterday as Albury Demolitions prepared to demolish the old Hertz depot.

At present, the 9225sq m Wodonga Bunnings Warehouse store is about 1000sq m larger than the Albury store.

But it will be overtaken by the latter when work is completed by May.

Mr Colquhoun said yesterday the latest work would enable Bunnings to transfer the timber sales section in Young Street to the new site, allowing the 5000sq m main retail area to be extended into the timber section.

A nursery section occupies the southern end of the store and is located above an underground car park.

Both the Albury and Wodonga stores are leased from locally based companies who own the freehold and buildings.

The Colquhoun companies worked four years to secure the Bunnings store for the former Dalgety woolstore site in Young Street.

Demolition of the woolstore and erection of the new buildings cost $16 million and was shared about 50-50 between the retail company and its developers.

The $24.5 million Wodonga store, opened in 2007, was built for Trivtrac, a consortium of the Mann family and Stuart Gilchrist.

Meanwhile Hansen Yuncken has almost completed an Aldi store in Young Street opposite the Bunnings development.

Editorial — page 12