Bunnings runs into road bump

Whangarei's Bunnings Warehouse may have to move because roading authorities want part of the site for State Highway One improvements.
Bunnings, on the corner of SH1 and Tauroa St, was opened on February 16, 2006, by All Black legend Buck Shelford. But the company might have to  leave the site, with the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) wanting some of the land for improving  the highway, the site owner said.
Discussions are in the early stages and it could be  years before the hardware megastore has to move. The Bunnings land and buildings are owned by DNZ Property Group
A spokesman for the neighbouring Gull Service Station said  land-ownership issues  were a matter for the landlord, DNZ,  because Gull leased the site.
DNZ director Paul Duffy  said negotiations between Bunnings and the transport agency were under way.
Mr Duffy, speaking to a group of DNZ shareholders, said NZTA wanted to upgrade SH1 through Whangarei and "want a chunk" of the Bunnings site, including part of the 11,652sq m building.
He said NZTA might buy part of the site and, if that happened, the property group might have to relocate Bunnings to another  Whangarei site.

The store has  nearly 2.5km of shelving and 40,000 stock lines, so a move  would be a major undertaking.
The Otaika site includes a  retail area and garden centre as well as parking for 230 cars.
NZTA state-highways manager for Northland Tommy Parker said discussions with Bunnings were continuing.
"This section of SH1 has been identified by the transport agency as an area where future safety improvements will be made to the highway. There is no timetable for the commencement of these improvements," Mr Parker said.
"However, it is prudent for the NZTA to talk with stakeholders and those who could be affected by those improvements when a programme of works does begin."
DNZ general manager Phil Brown said Bunnings had a long-term lease on the land and buildings, with  more than 10 years still to run.