Bunnings planned for $150m vision to develop former Accolade Winery site in Old Reynella
BUNNINGS wants to open a $29 million warehouse on a famed winery site south of Adelaide, part of a $150m plan for housing, retail and a childcare centre — but not everyone supports the plan.
- Plans to turn winery site at Old Reynella into community hub
- Southern residents rally against winery housing plan
BUNNINGS wants to open a $29 million warehouse on a famed winery site in Old Reynella.
Tarac Properties, which owns the former Accolade Winery and Distribution Centre, has lodged a development application with Onkaparinga Council on behalf of Bunnings, to convert an existing warehouse in to a store on Panalatinga Rd.
The warehouse would be on top of a $150 million vision to redevelop the site with housing, retail and commercial businesses, health and wellbeing activities, education opportunities and a childcare centre.
Tarac Properties chief executive Jeremy Blanks said the 14,000sq m development would create up to 150 ongoing jobs for residents, boosting the local economy.
“This proposed development is another key component in the reinvigoration of the site, envisaged by our master plan and, if approved, will allow for further job creation in the Reynella region,” Mr Blanks said.
“Bunnings warehouse store will not only make a significant contribution to reactivating the site but will provide significant employment opportunities during the construction phase and once the store opens.”
Under the proposal, there would be traffic lights from Panalatinga Rd into Bunnings,
One regulated and three significant trees would need to be removed.
There are Bunnings warehouses 8.5km away in Noarlunga Centre, about 11km away in Marion 13.5km in Seaford and another, which is under construction, 14.5km distant in Edwardstown.
Bunnings general manager property Andrew Marks said residents’ traffic concerns would be addressed.
“The development application included a traffic impact assessment report to ensure the safe and efficient use of the surrounding roads,” Mr Marks said.
He did not answer questions about when the warehouse would open, if approved.
Tarac bought the 32ha site in October 2016, and re-established it as the Reynella Green Business Park.
On February 20 this year, the land was rezoned as ‘urban employment’, giving the developer more flexibility for a range of non-residential uses.
Tarac funded a Statement of Intent to rezone its western part to residential.
If approved, it would pave the way for the $150 million development.
Earlier this year, Minda Inc relocated four of its divisions from Lonsdale to Reynella Green, joining anchor tenant Accolade Wines.
Meanwhile, opponent Maryann Nankivell, 24, of Old Reynella is continuing her campaign to block the entire redevelopment of the site.
Earlier this year, she started an online petition called Make Old Reynella Grape Again. It now has 1700 signatures protesting against the proposed development.
She said the setting had too much cultural significance to be razed and should be used for wine production, just like John Reynell did — at precisely the same location — in the 1800s.
The site has a vineyard, warehouses, and state and locally heritage-listed buildings.
The proposed Bunnings warehouse is about 100m away from the vineyards.
Ms Nankivell planned to continue her crusade to “save the site”, arguing that it should be maintained in its entirety, “just as a winery, and keep with the heritage of the area”.
A council spokesman said neighbours, including those abutting and those within 60m separated by a road or reserve, would be consulted about the application in coming weeks.
It was too early to say when the Onkaparinga Council Assessment Panel would review the application.
According to Onkaparinga Council’s website, John Reynell started a vineyard on the land about 10 years after he arrived in South Australian from Devon in 1830.
His vines produced SA’s first commercial wine in 1844.
Reynell then sold some land, and the township of Old Reynella was established in 1854.
After he died in 1873, his son Walter, and grandson Carew took over the wine production and began Reynella Winery, which was sold to Thomas Hardy & Sons in 1982.