THE plans are in for Harvey Norman's next move, with the home goods and electronics giant set to relocate to its third Bathurst premises in four years.
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As reported in 2022, Harvey Norman will be joining The Gateway in Kelso, which is already home to other large retailers such as Anaconda and Harris Scarfe Home.
Bathurst council has now received the development application (DA) on behalf of Harvey Norman, which lays out the $8.9 million plans for a 1.18 hectare site in The Gateway.
The proposed store will have direct frontage to Muldoon Avenue, a small part of Ingersole Drive and yet to be unnamed cul-de-sac.
According to the Statement of Environmental Effects (SoEE), prepared by Barnson senior town planner Jack Massey, the vacant site is ready for earthworks.
The building proposed would offer more than 3500 square metres of retail space and a warehouse area of 1542 square metres.
While it is a single-storey building, there would be internal mezzanine levels.
The retail area would be split into two parts, with one space designated for furniture and bedding, and the other for computers and electrical.
A 106-space customer car park has been proposed to support the Harvey Norman store, with a separate 8-space car park for staff.
Parts of the building exceed the 12-metre height limit for the area, and as such the developer is seeking a variation that would allow the building to be constructed as designed.
"The variations to the height standard are numerically minor when considered as a percentage of the overall roof area," Mr Massey said.
"The exceedances are isolated incidences that cumulatively equate to 0.95 per cent of the total roof area of the proposed development."
In general, Mr Massey said the proposed development is compliant with the planning controls and consistent with the surrounding area.
Store operations
The new Harvey Norman store is proposed to operate seven days a week.
Business hours will be 9.30am to 5.30pm most days, with extended trading on Thursdays and reduced hours on weekends.
Around 15 staff are expected to be working on the site per day, with around 30 to 50 customers anticipated to walk through the doors on average.
"During the busier times it is anticipated that approximately 10 to 15 customers will be in the store at any one time," the SoEE says.
"The majority of Harvey Norman warehouses are reliant upon online orders."
A time of growth
The Gateway has been coming together slowly over the course of years, with increased activity being seen throughout 2023 and into 2024.
In late 2023, Anaconda and Harris Scarfe Home opened in the precinct, joining the likes of KFC, Metro Petroleum and Oporto in the commercial precinct.
Since then, Bathurst council has approved plans for a Beacon Lighting store to be constructed.
A Sydney Tools retailer is also in the pipeline for The Gateway.
Harvey Norman long occupied a site on Ashworth Drive, directly opposite The Gateway, before moving to Pat O'Leary Drive in July, 2020.
Two years later, it was announced Harvey Norman would be one of several new tenants for The Gateway.
Rachel Chamberlain
I have been a journalist at the Western Advocate since 2014.
I have been a journalist at the Western Advocate since 2014.
