We did it: Kensington Park residents stop OTR from setting 24-hour service station on May Tce
A VEHEMENT fight by residents in Adelaide’s east to stop a 24-hour OTR service station going up on an old servo site has paid off – the $3m plan has just been knocked back, despite a series of concessions.
- Peregrine Corporation submits plan for site it doesn’t own
- ‘Why we’ll fight servo giant to stop this 24-hour shop’
- ‘This insidious OTR will come along, dominate space’
PLANS for an On The Run service station on Kensington Rd have been rejected because of concerns it would create traffic problems on nearby streets.
The Development Assessment Commission voted at a meeting yesterday to refuse a $3 million proposal to build a 24/7 petrol station at the corner of May Tce.
Minutes of the meeting – which was held behind closed doors – showed the panel agreed the service station was not suited to the area and would “impact … traffic movements and traffic flow”.
The size of the development and potential “risks to pedestrian movement” also factored in the verdict, according to the meeting’s minutes published today.
The ruling follows a long-running campaign from May Tce residents and Burnside Council to block the plan amid fears it would ruin the amenity of the area.
Peregrine Corporation, the parent company of the On The Run chain, had revised the original plan to appease those concerns, including reconfiguring the design so that vehicles would only enter the service station from Kensington Rd and exit on May Tce.
But it was not enough to sway the commission.
May Tce resident Chris Shakes said the decision was vindication for worried locals, who had spent more than $10,000 to obtain independent traffic data which highlighted their concerns.
“We are very pleased that we stuck to the proper process and got this outcome,” Mr Shakes said.
“This is good news.”
In a statement, Peregrine Corporation said it was “understandably disappointed with the decision”.
“During the design process we listened to the feedback from the community and worked closely with the authorities to ensure the development was appropriate for the site and provided amenities for the community.”
“The development was to create much needed jobs for the state, which included 50 new jobs in the construction and a further 15 ongoing retail roles for the community when the store opens.
“The process allows right of appeal and we are considering if we will appeal.”