Described as an eye sore for the community, the vacant former KFC building on Hardinge Street will soon be transformed as an Endeavour Service Station.
Edward River Council approved the development application for the service station at their monthly meeting last week.
The approval was not unanimous however, with Mayor Peta Betts required to use her casting vote to approve the application.
The service station will be open seven days a week and include a convenience store, parking for 15 vehicles, three underground fuel tanks and eight double sided fuel bowsers.
“Initially I did have quite a few concerns with the amount of service stations and that sort of thing,” Cr Shannon Sampson said.
“The fact there has been no submissions from the public is why I have changed my mind.”
Cr Tarria Moore and deputy mayor Paul Fellows expressed concerns about the location of the new service station, specifically its proximity to a child care centre and the Edward River Village retirement centre.
“That particular intersection (Hardinge St and Poictiers St) is horrendous,” Cr Moore said.
“I worry about the traffic change that it will create with it already being such a bad intersection.
“I am worried about the child care centre next door, also the Edward River Village we’re trying to create next door,” she said.
Cr Moore also said the service station would be adding to an area that already has service stations.
“We have five or six on that route and we’ll have an additional one if this goes through,” she said.
“I don’t want businesses doing the same thing over and over. We need something new to grow.”
Deputy Mayor Paul Fellows said that he loved competition and that every one benefits from it.
“It’s just the location for me and it’s right next to our senior’s living. I just can’t agree with it just purely on its location.”
The planned service station will be restricted to opening 6am to 8pm, seven days a week.
It will be limited to small vehicles, with articulated heavy vehicles unable to use the site.
The estimated costs of the development are in excess of $1 million.
In recommending councillors approve the development application, council’s manager of development services stated the operating hours were considered reasonable.
“However given the sensitivity of the adjoining land uses, being child care and seniors living it is considered appropriate that a condition of consent require acoustic fencing to the satisfaction of Council along the southern and eastern boundary, to assist mitigate the increase in noise,” the report states.
“There is perceived health risk and hazards associated with a service station, in particular fuel storage, in close proximity to such sensitive receptors.
“A preliminary risk screening was provided by the applicant and concludes that the development does not pose a significant risk to surrounding properties or the environment and did not trigger the requirement for further investigation.”
Vehicle access is proposed via two existing crossovers (one to Hardinge Street and one to Poictiers Street) and one new crossover to Hardinge Street.
The existing Hardinge Street crossover is proposed to be made one-way (entry only) while the new crossover is proposed to be one-way (exit only).
The Poictiers Street crossover is proposed to remain as all-access. The accesses will be redesigned in accordance with relevant Australian standards and to accommodate an articulated fuel truck.
The internal layout of the proposal will provide for service vehicles, including petrol delivery tankers and service vehicles, to enter the site, circulate and make deliveries, and exit in a forward direction.
Cr Linda Fawns supported the development application saying that it seemed all concerns had been addressed.
“The site has been sitting there for a long time and is an eye sore to the community,” she said.
Cr. Shirlee Burge agreed, acknowledging that not everyone may want another service station.
“If we want to look at our growth and development and try to develop, we have to accept whether we like this or not, and the position it is in, it creates business, it passes also the recommendations made by council so I’m happy to support.”
Councillors Moore, Marc Petersen, Pat Fogarty and deputy mayor Paul Fellows voted against the application.
It was carried by councillors Burge, Fawns, Sampson and Betts.