Traffic plans for new Bunnings precinct take a left turn as DA amendment request lodged

The development will come back before Wagga City Council on Monday after amended plans were lodged in a bid to modify access from the site.

In December 2021, the council approved an application for the new development just 500 metres from its existing store.

It was approved with the condition one of the only exits to the 400-space car park would be through Saxon Street - a small road which connects to the south side of the plot.

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The current approved site plans for the 18,000-square metre site allow customers to enter the site from Pearson Street and the Olympic Highway.

However, while customers may exit onto the Olympic Highway, council ruled that light vehicles could not exit from Pearson Street when the DA was approved, citing "road safety and efficiency reasons."

Bunnings is now asking council to reconsider that move, to allow light vehicles to conduct left-turns only onto Pearson Street.

The business is also calling for an extension to the median strip along Pearson Street, which would inhibit drivers from turning right at the location.

Bunnings Regional Manager David Williams said the business recently submitted a "proposed modification to our development application to allow customers to exit the store via Pearson Street."

"This change is about creating a convenient access point which is something we know is important for the community," Mr Williams said.

He said the business is "committed to bringing a bigger and better store to the Wagga community, with a much wider range of home and lifestyle products."

"The proposed store would represent an investment of around $47 million in the local community and would be almost 5,000 square metres larger than the existing store, as well as creating additional jobs for local residents," he said.

"We will continue to engage with the authorities on our application and keep the community updated as the development progresses."

However, in a council report released on Thursday, it recommended the council reject the request, arguing approval is "not in the public interest".

The report gave several reasons including that the move would "result in increased and unacceptable traffic impacts on the road network... in particular on the performance, efficiency and safety of the roundabout at the intersection of Pearson Street [and] Edward Street."

The report found impacts on that intersection would "accelerate the need for a substantial upgrade to this intersection, which would be at considerable cost to the community, and may result in removal of u-turn opportunities at this point."

The report said the solution to those impacts would be replacing the roundabout with traffic lights, but found funding for those works has "not been clearly identified."

Further, it said the "modification is not supported by Transport for NSW."

In a statement, a TfNSW spokesperson said it is "responsible for assessing transport impacts of private developments on the state road network and providing advice to the relevant consent authority."

"We are aware of the development application for 64 Pearsons Street, as well as the application to modify, and have provided advice to Wagga Council [on this]," the spokesperson said.

"As part of the proposal process, developers are responsible for identifying and implementing suitable arrangements to manage associated traffic impacts.

"On this occasion, Transport advised the council it did not support this modification as the application did not adequately address potential impacts to the existing roundabout at the intersection of the Sturt Highway, the Olympic Highway and Pearson Street."

Transport is investigating future upgrade opportunities along the Olympic and Sturt Highways and this will include looking at the Pearson and Edward Streets intersection.

Councillor Richard Foley said he would consider the arguments before making a decision but pointed out the council is only at liberty to make a decision on the issue raised by Bunnings in the amendment application as the project has already been approved.

However, he said in the long term the "Barbeques Galore roundabout" has to go.

"It's not fit for purpose now and it certainly won't be [with traffic increases] in five years time," he said.

Cr Foley advocates for traffic lights at the intersection and would like the government and Bunnings to be prepared to chip in.

Cr Jenny McKinnon said she was "leaning towards" council's recommendation not to approve the request to allow light vehicles to turn left onto Pearson Street from the site.

But she is open to hear what arguments are made at the meeting.

Councillors will meet to discuss and vote on the development amendment request on Monday night.

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