Almost 12 months since Woolworths lodged its development application with Greater Taree City Council, a recommendation for approval will be put to tomorrow’s meeting of the Hunter and Central Coast Joint Regional Planning Panel.

Greater Taree City Council will host the meeting of the five-member regional panel, which under State planning laws has the final say in determining large-scale developments deemed of regional significance.

Masters is the new Woolworths-owned hardware mega-market chain, with its giant homemakers store off Manning River Drive at Taree South set to rival the similarly sized Bunnings, on Wingham Road.

Masters’ 14,000 square metre proposal includes a home improvement centre, a new roundabout on Manning River Drive south of Stitts Creek, a new access road, and signage.

Greater Taree City mayor Paul Hogan sits on the five-member regional panel, and is excited about the prospect of the plan finally getting the go-ahead tomorrow.

While the DA was initially lodged with the city council on July 19 last year, it is required to be determined by the Joint Regional Planning Panel as a “development application for development that has a capital investment value of more than $10 million”.

The DA has a value of $14,469,963 and is designated ‘integrated development’ for the purposes of the Department of Primary Industries Office of Water as it is within 40 metres of a watercourse.

The land comprises one lot of 41.25 hectares and another of 42.84 hectares. It is zoned B5 Business Development, RU1 Primary Production and E2 Environmental Conservation under the Greater Taree Local Environmental Plan 2010.

The plan involves extensive vehicle access and carparking, with loading docks and landscaping.

The home improvement centre itself covers a total of 13,901m² which comprises:

o A general sales area of approximately 8197m² for a range of products including hardware, timber and building materials, décor and home decoration, and kitchen/bathroom fittings.

o A nursery area of approximately 2194m² for landscaping and gardening products, including plants, pots, landscape, trimming and gardening equipment.

o Trade sales area of approximately 2318m² for trade sales, including a drive-in loading area for all stock for sale in other areas of the building.

o Approximately 851m² ‘back of house’ on the side of the site for loading goods and materials.

The remainder of the site will accommodate ancillary services, infrastructure, car parking and landscaping.

Consideration has been given in the planning stages to the longer term peak hour traffic issues which already relate to the Martin Bridge, with particular attention to the queuing of traffic towards the bridge in the mornings.

However included in the discussions have been proposals for a larger business hub surrounding the Masters development, and which as the site progresses would require a link road to the Bucketts Way, taking pressure off the Manning River Drive entrance to Taree.