Launch: Geelong Mayor John Mitchell, Victorian Governor Alex Chernov, Geelong Legacy Club president Frank Thornburgh and Frank Costa rub shoulders at the annual opening of Legacy Week in the city on Monday.
By John Van Klaveren
MYSTERY surrounds the future of Bunnings’ Corio store, with the chain refusing to confirm whether it would stay on the site.
Bunnings is building a new store in Princes Hwy, Norlane, amid expectations it will close its Corio outlet.
But recent announcements that Woolworth’s-backed Masters home improvement stores could open two stores in Geelong might have changed Bunnings’ plans.
Masters has won planning approval for a site in Bacchus Marsh Rd, Corio, and hopes to place another store in Bellarine Hwy, Leopold.
In a media release when the Bunnings Norlane site was rezoned, Geelong council planning portfolio holder Rod Macdonald said Bunnings’ Corio store would close.
A recent council agenda said the store would be replaced with a truck sales and servicing dealership later this year.
The agenda report, ironically on the Masters Corio planning application, said the store and adjoining vacant land on School Road covered three hectares.
The Independent understands that Winter and Taylor has purchased the site, previously owned by McMullin Group.
Bunnings is believed to hold options on its lease to 2015/2016.
Asked for a specific response this week, a Bunnings spokesperson apologised for the lack of detail.
A statement to be attributed to managing director John Gillam said: “We are confident that in the longer term there will be more people employed by Bunnings in the greater Geelong area than there are now.”
Winter and Taylor principal James Brophy did not return the Independent’s call for comment.
