Woolworths has signaled to the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment that it has plans to invest $68M in the extension of its existing warehouse and distribution centre at Warnervale.
Early application documents reveal Woolworths’ plans to add almost 27 square metres of extra warehouse space, increase storage for confectionary and create 13 new banana ripening rooms.
The external concreted areas will be modified to comfortably accommodate 485 existing car parking spaces, 98 pan-tech parking spaces, including 48 new spaces and 18 existing truck parking spaces, including six new spaces.
The plans are very much in the early stages as a request for SEARS – the environmental assessment requirements Woolworths will need to address in its proposal – has only just been lodged with DPIE.
The site, which operates 24 hours per day, seven days per week, is deemed as “large-scale employment” and covers just over 23 hectares.
To the north at 13 Warren Road is ‘Cubbyhole Warnervale’ which offers light industrial commercial units.
Native vegetation is located to the east, forming part of the Warnervale Airport site, which is operated by the Council.
To the west of the site at 18 Burnet Rd is a warehouse and distribution facility associated with Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing Company, while native vegetation extends approximately 3.5km to the south, which is categorised as a bushfire prone area.
The Woolworths site is owned by Centuria Property Funds No.2 Limited.
These early documents do not give any indication as to how many jobs will be created by the expansion. Neither do they highlight the exact areas that will be taken up by the expansion.
Nicola Riches
The 27 square metre Tardis of distribution centres