Mayor concerned about impact of second Bunnings store

CONSTRUCTION of the second Bunnings warehouse at the former foundry site has Mayor Paul Antonio still concerned about the development.

CONSTRUCTION of the new Bunnings warehouse at the former foundry site  is set to begin with Toowoomba Mayor Paul Antonio still concerned about the development.

"I feel for the local businesses and I feel for what traffic flow that will be there and I'll be looking pretty hard at how it all pans out," he said.

"Hopefully we would have good access, it will not create too big a problem, that's my hope, but I guess we'll wait and see."

He said future jobs would be created from the warehouse and he was pleased to see Hutchinson Builders secure the contract but that there was concern in the community.

Council gave the approval for the historic site on Ruthven St to be developed by Bunnings last year.

Artist impression of Bunnings in Toowoomba CBD.

"Things are changing all along, and let's look back and be proud at what the foundry brought to this community," he said.

"That era has passed and I would think in 25 years' time there won't be a Bunnings there.  Bunnings is generally a transitory thing and that land will find a higher value or a greater use somewhere in the future."

Cr Antonio he said the majority of councillors were happy to push ahead with Bunnings' second site at the approval stage last year.

"At that stage I was a little bit concerned there may well have been some issues we needed to resolve before we gave them the final approval," he said.

Floor plan for the second Bunnings in Toowoomba.

Cr Antonio said the success or failure of the major retailers depended on the trade and services they offered.

"People criticise some of the decisions that are made by council, but by and large when you look at some of those outcomes, people are supporting the businesses," he said.

Bunnings yesterday confirmed the construction at the Toowoomba North site would begin later this year.

Originally published as Mayor concerned about impact of second Bunnings store