Cherrabah trucking plan faces further council conflict

One councillor said he believed the plan’s potential risk for fatalities on the road was too close for comfort.

Development plans for a water extraction plant at Cherrabah, Elbow Valley

CHERRABAH’S controversial water trucking application has come under scrutiny again as concerns are raised over road safety in anticipation for construction.

Southern Downs councillors were asked to vote for or against reviewing the changes to Joyful View Garden Real Estate Company’s original proposal, namely the widening of the road to the Elbow Valley address.

According to Joyful View Garden Real Estate Company, the council condition to expand Keoghs Rd by a width of at least 5.5m was an “unreasonable imposition on the development”.

In their submission, the developer said the trucking would only result in nine return trips per day — not enough to have “significant impacts on the surrounding road network.”

Acting CEO Jane Stroud said the applicant, in essence, wanted to approach the roadworks as a “staged development” with a full upgrade of the road to be triggered if the amount of traffic went beyond 150 vehicles and a maximum of ten per cent heavy vehicles per day.

Development plans for a water extraction plant at Cherrabah, Elbow Valley

Councillors Cameron Gow, Vic Pennisi, Sheryl Windle, Jo McNally, Marco Gliori and Deputy Mayor Ross Bartley all voted in favour of proceeding with the stated recommendations — noting excess traffic would result in a new application.

Councillors Stephen Tancred, Andrew Gale, and Cynthia McDonald all voted against the review.

Cr Andrew Gale said with his extensive road safety experience, he believed the “partial widening” presented risk.

“ I have concerns and I continue to have the same concerns that the residents had when they objected to this,” he said.

“All it takes is one caravan or motor vehicle gong one way and a truck coming the other way and someone being a little too close to the centre-line and we have a fatality.”

Councillor Stephen Tancred similarly voiced concerns, given Cherrabah had said it would provide bore water for drought-affected residents.

He believed if the location acted as a donation drop-off point it could easily attract more traffic than a 150-vehicle limit on the rural road.

“Four hundred families were getting water in pods on the backs of utes from a water charity in Stanthorpe. That was on the New England Highway that had a turning lane and was set up for business … and that was a problem,” Cr Tancred said.

Cr Tancred also said the venue still planned to host events, which posed further liklihood the road’s limit would be exceeded.

The applicants’ additional review request — to name the bores — did not reach any objection by councillors.

The original application made national headlines in December after the resort was approved to being carting 95ML of potable bore water to the Gold Coast.

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