Kmart will officially begin construction on its second store in the Wellington region by mid September.

The design of the 5200sqm Kmart Petone store is expected to be completed by the end of the second quarter in 2017, after consultation with local neighbours and the Hutt City Council in addressing the area’s future development requirements plus potential pedestrian and traffic issues.

It seeks to completely reinvent an old industrial property into a modern retail environment.

Local contractor Ebert Construction has been appointed to work on the construction of the new store, the layout of which is the one that is being rolled out across both New Zealand and Australia, featuring wider aisles and bolder graphics.

“I along with the entire Kmart team can’t wait to make available our products at great low prices and we look forward to being able to support the local community,” said Sue Smith, Kmart New Zealand manager of operations.

Kmart New Zealand will commence recruitment for its Petone store from early 2017. Completion of the construction is scheduled to conclude the second quarter of 2017.