Burnside Council assessment panel rejects plans for 24/7 OTR service station in Kensington Park
A Burnside Council panel has dismissed a revised proposal for a Kensington Rd service station, calling the plan “deficient”.
New plans for a 24/7 OTR service station in Kensington Park have been rejected.
Burnside Council’s assessment panel on Tuesday night dismissed OTR parent company Peregrine’s revised proposal for the corner of Kensington Rd and May Tce.
Panel members rejected the “deficient” plan 4-1, with several arguing it did not qualify as a “small scale” development and would create traffic and safety issues.
Member Kate Shierlaw said the site was “sandwiched between two residential zones”.
“It requires a lot of cars in and a lot of cars out. That is quite an intensive use for something that borders on a residential zone,” Mrs Shierlaw said.
The panel had been recommended to approve the plan.
A Peregrine spokesman told The Advertiser it may appeal the decision.
Peregrine’s original application for a $3 million, 24/7 service station at the location was rejected by the council and the State Government’s assessment panel in 2017.
Its appeal in the Environment, Resources and Development Court was also dismissed.
Peregrine’s legal representative, Jamie Botten, said “meaningful changes have been made” to their plans since the company’s last application failed.
“Significant traffic data has been collected … which has demonstrated … there won’t be queuing,” Mr Botten said.
“It has got significant expert report. The EPA is satisfied with the proposal. DPTI is satisfied with the proposal.
“It is a very meaningful response.”
However, the council’s legal representative, Anthony Kelly, said the appearance and design of the plan, and traffic impacts, were the two biggest issues that were not sufficiently addressed.
“This one is only bad,” Mr Kelly said, alluding to Peregrine’s previous “really bad” plan.
“(Approving it) would be a fundamental mistake.
“Some landscaping has been included but it is tokenistic.
“Queuing would run onto Kensington Rd. It could potentially block Kensington Rd.”
MFY traffic consultant Melissa Mellen said there were a “number of fundamental traffic issues with the site” and there was not enough space for a fully-functioning service station.
Burnside resident Chris Shakes, speaking on behalf of a nearby homeowner, said two key areas of the report had “significant gaps”, relating to the size of the development and impacts on local traffic.
“Both of those matters have not been treated with due diligence,” Mr Shakes said.
“The site is too small to be safe. The volumes of traffic is too high.
“It remains a non-compliant proposal.”