This includes two projects in Kembla Grange, the largest being a $30 million Bunnings store planned for Northcliffe Drive.

The store is proposed to take up almost a third of the 40,000 square metres site, with parking for 415 cars included in plans.

The proposal includes a large roundabout at the intersection of Northcliffe Drive and the Princes Highway, which will eventually form a major access point into residential areas of West Dapto.

Also in Kembla Grange is a Soilco proposal for a composting and manufacturing facility on West Dapto Road.

If approved, the plant would be able to process 40,000 tonnes of garden and food waste each year. It would also process 15,000 tonnes each of urban and forestry timber waste and drilling muds, and would manufacture and distribute 50,000 tonnes of soil, compost and mulch. 

The panel will also consider a $12 million proposal to almost completely knock down and rebuild Gwynneville Public School.

The redevelopment will replace the school’s existing aeroplane hangar buildings that were imported from England about 60 years ago.

Instead of the traditional classrooms, the new plans reveal the school will be made up of open “learning studios”, which will be broken into practical activity rooms, common areas, presentation space and differently sized learning spaces.

The panel will meet at 1pm on May 1 at Wollongong council chambers.

Members of the public can register to speak at the meeting by emailing enquiry@planningpanels.nsw.gov.au