Major supermarket giant eyes off former Belmont Bunnings site

The former Belmont Bunnings Warehouse site could become a Woolworths supermarket. File picture

IT was a hardware store, almost a German supermarket and a vaccination hub through the COVID-19 pandemic.

But now, the former Belmont North Bunnings Warehouse site could become home to a new Woolworths supermarket.

The site at 393 Pacific Highway houses an old, disused Bunnings store in an area where the population is booming and demand for retail amenity is high.

A Woolworths spokesman told the Newcastle Herald the supermarket giant believes the site can be better used to service the community.

"... so we're currently seeking the views of surrounding residents on ideas for the site," he said.

"This includes seeking feedback on a full-line supermarket, a range of retail services and home delivery and Direct to Boot options.

"We will work with the council and the local community as these plans develop further over the coming months."

The Woolworths spokesman said it is looking at re-purposing the existing structure to reduce waste.

Bunnings operated at the site until it moved to a new $90 million facility at Bennetts Green.

The site went on the market earlier this year, listed for sale with James Wilson and Ben Wilkinson of Colliers on behalf of owners, Bunnings Property Management Ltd.

On March 22, it was sold to Woolworths Group company Fabcot Pty Ltd for $20.5 million.

The former Bunnings at Belmont was being converted into the state's second mass vaccination centre during the pandemic. File picture

In 2019, German supermarket giant Kaufland was reportedly eyeing-off the site as the home of its first store in Newcastle.

Kaufland exited the Australian market in early 2020 before opening any stores.

The former Bunnings site later operated as a mass COVID-19 vaccination hub and employed more than 300 staff members.

The hub delivered about 244,000 vaccinations to adults and almost 30,000 to children in less than a year, before it shut down in 2022.

A Lake Macquarie council spokesman said it has been made aware of the proposal after it was approached by the proponent.

"We've received information from Woolworths that they are proposing a development at the site, however a development application has not been lodged," he said.

"All DAs are assessed in line with the relevant planning legislation.

"If and when a DA is lodged, the application will be notified in accordance with our Community Participation Plan."

If a DA is lodged, members of the community can view it using the council's Application Tracking tool.