Gordon: Development plans determined for new Plus Fitness outlet at former Bunnings site

Plans for a 24 hour gym in a north shore town centre have come up against opposition from residents who instead want the former Bunnings site turned into a Dan Murphy’s, fine food outlet, or a pet shop.

Plans to turn a former north shore Bunnings outlet into a 24 hour gym have been given the green light despite more than 400 people signing a petition calling for the proposal to be rejected.

Ku-ring-gai Council’s local planning division has approved plans for a new two storey Plus Fitness outlet at 751 Pacific Hwy in Gordon following the closure of the Bunnings hardware store at the site last year.

The development will include dedicated areas for strength and cardio programs as well as equipment areas, lockers, bathrooms and new signage.

The gym will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The planning panel’s approval comes after more than 470 people signed a petition opposing the development with objections largely centred on potential noise, traffic congestion and claims the site was not a “suitable location for a gym”.

The gym will be operated by fitness chain Plus Fitness.

Submissions to the council had called for the site to instead be turned into a business residents felt would be more “beneficial” to Gordon including a grocery outlet, restaurant, Officeworks, a food court, a PetBarn store, a supermarket, or a “Dan Murphy’s” outlet.

But not everyone is opposed to the development, with Steve O’Farrell, owner of the Picks and Sticks music school two doors down from the site, saying it could boost trade in the town centre.

“Anything that brings more people into the town centre will help my business and at the end of the day you can’t stop progress,” he said.

A photo of the former Bunnings outlet.

“It’s better to have it occupied than standing empty. I think it will be good for all businesses.”

A council report states the gym was acceptable in the zoning of the site and “potential other uses” for the site such as a grocery outlet and Dan Murphy’s were “irrelevant to the assessment of the current application.”

The report states that impacts on traffic congestion have also been addressed through traffic management plans which identified suitable parking within the locality.

A concept plan of the new gym.

The development will be located in the Gordon town centre.

A Plus Fitness spokesman said there was strong demand for the studio which will offer programs catering for both individual training and class options.

“The pandemic reminded people of the importance of looking after yourself both physically and mentally. Exercise is such an important part of our day-to-day living,” he said.

“People want that interaction and face-to-face service. Covid allowed us to provide members with online classes which really helped during lockdowns to keep motivation up. But now that we are back to normal, current and new members are loving the social aspect of the gym again.”

The gym will operate 24/7.

Plans show the gym would only be staffed from 8.30am to 1pm and 4pm to 8pm on Monday to Thursday, and 7.30am to 11.30am on Friday to Saturday. All other hours and days will be unstaffed.

The plans come after Bunnings closed down at the 751 Pacific Hwy site ahead of relocating to its new mega store in Pymble, which opened earlier this year.