By Kirra Grimes

COMMERCIAL property developers are hoping to attract another large format retailer to Wonthaggi when Bunnings Warehouse vacates its existing store at the end of next year.

Retail property specialist Mike Harper of MPG Funds Management, which owns the site of the existing Bunnings store at 45-61 McKenzie Street, confirmed the company is aware of Bunnings’ plans to move to a larger, purpose-built premises further along the street, and sees these plans as “further proof that Wonthaggi and the surrounding area provides very strong retail trading conditions”.

MPG sees “significant opportunity for large format retail development” at the existing Bunnings site, Mr Harper told the Sentinel-Times.

Exactly which retailer that would be hadn’t been decided yet, he said, as the new Bunnings store wasn’t due to open until the end of next year, and Bunnings would continue to operate at MPG’s site until then.

Bass Coast Shire Council endorsed a planning application to construct a new Bunnings Warehouse at the former Miners Rest/Capital Motel site at 140 McKenzie Street at its September meeting.

Bunnings has confirmed all of its team members from the existing store will transfer to the new store once it’s completed and will be joined by over 50 new team members.