Bunnings Warehouse: Work starts on first three-level store coming to Frenchs Forest, creating 800 jobs

Work has started on a massive $48 million five-storey Bunnings in a Sydney suburb. Find out both where and how the hardware giant will go high-rise.

Work to build a massive five-storey $48 million Bunnings hardware store — with three levels of shopping — has started on the northern beaches.

The retail warehouse at Frenchs Forest is set to generate up to 800 jobs.

Existing buildings on the site, near the intersection of Warringah and Allambie roads, including an Australia Post distribution centre and a two-storey office block, will be bulldozed to make way for the hardware haven.

Australia Post has confirmed that its mail and parcel centre on Rodborough Rd will not shut its doors before the busy Christmas period.

“Australia Post’s Frenchs Forest operations will move into a neighbouring site in March next year and will continue to operate until that time.,” a spokesman said.

“All customers with a PO Box at the current site have been notified and are able to use nearby sites at Frenchs Forest East LPO on Frenchs Forest Rd or at the Frenchs Forest Post Shop on Forest Way, both of which are close to the current site.”

But a demolition crew has already started taking apart the vacant office building next door.

The Frenchs Forest outlet will be first time Bunnings will offer three levels of retail that includes hardware and building supplies, an outdoor garden centre, a large cafe and a kids’ playground.

There will be two levels of parking for close to 400 vehicles.

Bunnings confirmed that the new Bunnings building will span more than 20,000 square metres would be the first store in NSW to have three levels of retail, with on-site parking for almost 400 cars.

The Bunnings development application was approved by the NSW Government’s Sydney North Planning Panel in February this year. It would have been settled late last year, but for a disagreement between the hardware giant and Northern Beaches Council about safe vehicle access to the site from Allambie Rd.

There were concerns that due to the building’s proximity to the busy intersection of Warringah and Allambie roads, there were “potential road safety issues with merging vehicles and conflicts with pedestrians”.

An agreement has been reached to move the main driveway to Rodborough Rd, once traffic lights are installed at its intersection with Allambie Rd.

Part of the Australia Post facility on the corner of Rodborough and Allambie roads at Frenchs Forest, which will be demolished in early 2022 Picture: Jim O'Rourke

There was also another conflict over the size of the Bunnings Warehouse logos and signs, as well as the building’s predominantly green colour scheme.

Bunnings agreed to reduce the size of the logo by 33 per cent on Rodborough Rd, remove a number of hammer logos from the rest of the building and restrict the amount of green paint is used on the facades.

The opening hours will be finalised closer to opening.

The development is expected to generate 700 new jobs during the construction phase and then 135 full time and part time vacancies once Bunnings starts serving customers.

An artist’s impression of the previous exterior design, at the corner of Allambie and Rodborough roads, of the new Bunnings Warehouse. Picture: Supplied

Bunnings and Australia Post have been contacted for comment.