BUNNINGS Warehouse is on the move in Albury with plans lodged for a $27 million replacement mega-store.
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The switch from the former Dalgety woolstore site in Young Street to the corner of the Riverina Highway and Drome Street will deliver 50 new jobs and a further 230 jobs in the construction phase.
The company has lodged a development application with Albury Council with the venture coming in the same week a $25 million timber processing factory was confirmed for an unconfirmed location in Albury or Wodonga which will generate 30 direct jobs and another 24 indirect positions.
Bunnings opened its existing store in Young Street in 2003 before an expansion six years later.
Its trade centre in Romet Road, Wodonga will transfer across to Albury as part of the move.
Bunnings recentlly purchased the site including the Kimberly Clark factory which closed last year.
Bunnings eneral manager of its property division, Andrew Marks, said the redevelopment was a show of faith in the Albury market.
“The proposed combined format of both a warehouse and a trade centre at the same location would allow Bunnings to deliver an improved offer to local trade customers, while also ensuring it continues to provide the Albury community with the lowest prices, backed by the best service in home improvement and outdoor living,” he said.
The replacement warehouse will be more than 18,000 square metres with more than 400 carparks.
The new store will be located next door to the Harvey Norman Centre in East Albury which was formerly the city’s greyhound track.
Bunnings established a Wodonga warehouse in 2007 after purchasing the Mann Mitre 10 business.
The Wodonga operation measuring 9225 square metres was bigger than the Young Street store in Albury until the extension onto a former car rental business site in 2009.
Bunnings is also building a 6900 square metre store on the eastern edge of Yarrawonga which is expected to open later this year.
Meanwhile, XLam, the company building the timber processing factory, has been inundated with offers of land to establish its Australian operations.
Acting Albury mayor David Thurley welcomed the announcement from Bunnings.
“Albury Council has been supporting the Bunnings team with information and assistance for its investigations into the proposed purchase of the new site for several months,” he said.
“We are very pleased that Bunnings has seen fit to invest in the expansion of their presence in Albury.
“We look forward to further assisting Bunnings through the planning and approvals process.
“The jobs and investment created by the project are significant and will have a strong and positive impact on the local economy.”