Masters Home Improvements have submitted a fresh application for a store in the general vicinity of the Ring Road off-ramp & FE Walker Street intersection. The new location at the opposite end of the same allotment as their previous application will face FE Walker Street and is located well away from residential properties. As I indicated from day one, this has to be the best possible location for all concerned (especially coastal residents) even though it is still subject to a fresh assessment against the planning legislation.
Today, Council issued the following media release in relation to the applicaton.
Media Release – Masters Application Back Before Council
Bundaberg Regional Council Planners are currently assessing a new Development Application seeking a Material Change of use of land at Kepnock as the site for a Masters Home Improvement Store.
Acting Mayor, Cr Dave Batt said Masters had been the subject of a protracted evaluation process after an initial Development Application lodged in May of 2011 was rejected by a split vote of Council in November last year.
“The application created quite a deal of community interest with Masters proposing to site their store at the southern end of the subject land which was adjacent to residential properties,” Cr Batt said.
Cr Batt said the new submission has identified a new location for the store on land the same land, but facing FE Walker Street.
He said that despite the Development Application coming to Council previously, the new submission would need to be treated as a totally new application and would be assessed accordingly.
Cr Batt said the submission indicated the new store would create 180 jobs during construction and between 130 and 150 full time, part time and casual staff once trading.
It is expected the facility would require a construction investment of $13 million.
The site, located at 128 FE Walker Street, Kepnock comprises a total area of just over 12 hectares with Masters to cover 36% of the area.
Supporting documentation claims the Bundaberg region will grow by more than 45,000 people over the next 25 years.
Cr. Batt said Council officers had met in several informal discussions with the proponents.
“Masters state in their proposal that the proposed new location for the Masters Store has addressed a number of the key grounds that led to the refusal of the previous development application.”
“Their submission claims the revised location will not impact on the residential amenity of surrounding properties given the separation which is indicated between the Masters Store and residential dwellings.”
Masters currently operates 10 stores throughout Queensland.
Cr Batt said it was likely assessment of the application would be fast tracked under Council’s “Bundaberg Open for Development” program and would have to go through a mandatory public submission period before it was ready to be considered by Council.