Lagoon St and Nebo Rd servo proposal killed by 200+ objections
Campaigners are ‘over the moon’ after winning a fight against a proposed service station in one of Mackay’s oldest suburbs, with councillors unanimously rejecting the application.
Property
Don't miss out on the headlines from Property. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Gerry Muscat is “extremely happy” with the council’s decision to block a new service station after a passionate community campaign against the project.
Mackay councillors unanimously refused the proposed servo on the corner of Lagoon St and Nebo Rd after receiving over 200 signatures objecting to the project.
Mr Muscat said he had been told the campaign, producing 198 submissions and 219 signatures, was one of the biggest community reactions in Mackay Regional Council’s history.
“We’re over the moon,” he said.
“I would personally like to thank every West Mackay or Mackay resident for standing up and saying, ‘No thank you’.
“According to (a council development assessor), our objection was one of the highest council’s seen for many, many, many years.”
A similar community campaign against the Nebo Rd/McGill St service station proposal on the site of the former Mia Mia Hotel has received over 450 signatures so far according to campaigner Judy Nixon, which Mr Muscat said could set a new record.
A former servo owner himself, Mr Muscat stressed in his address to the council meeting on Wednesday that he was “not against service stations in general” but the proposed location.
Mr Muscat said he handed out hundreds of flyers detailing why the servo, right next to the Regional Botanic Gardens, the Mackay Water Treatment Plant, and the heritage homes of West Mackay, was “just not the right location”.
“Coming into an old established, beautiful suburb of West Mackay (and proposing a service station) … I just don’t get it,” he said.
“Look for another location … but don’t come to one of the oldest suburbs in Mackay and try to change the character.
“The real beauty about the win was that it was a unanimous decision.”
High traffic and pedestrian safety, as well as air, water, and noise pollution, were the chief issues worrying West Mackay residents.
Three homes at 214 Nebo Rd, 216, Nebo Rd, and 2 Lagoon St would also have been demolished for the servo, further raising concerns.
Mr Muscat shared residents had said “you’re kidding me that during a residential shortage the council would lose three homes”.
A long-term renter of 214 Nebo Rd, Julie Loxton, was facing eviction with the proposal on foot, but now has more time to figure out her housing situation.
“I’m glad it’s been rejected,” Ms Loxton said.
“When I first heard about it, I thought, no, it’s just too dangerous on this corner … with accidents and everything like that.”
Council documents show the proposal did not comply with the Mackay Region Planning Scheme as it did not demonstrate how it would “serve the needs of the local area”.
With 16 other service stations in the near vicinity, residents and the council agreed there was no need for another.
MRC also noted there were zero community responses in support of the proposal.
Councillor Martin Bella, who moved for the proposal to be refused, said he did not “doubt at all it would impact the lifestyle in a number of ways”.
“Really this was for me a simple decision,” Cr Bella said.
“One of the things Mackay has, I believe, is that laid-back, semi country feel, (so) we have to be careful with development in areas.”
Council voting on new homes, child care, dog park
Mackay council will decide whether a beachside community will score a new dog park at its monthly meeting on Wednesday. SEE THE PREVIEW.
Mackay home to be bulldozed in favour of townhouses
Four new units are coming to West Mackay as an accommodation company aims to demolish a single storey home to make way for four townhouses on the same lot. SEE THE PLANS.