STALEMATE: SDRC, developers lock horns over new servo plans

One suggested solution would see the Warwick service station come at a $100K+ cost to ratepayers.

ON SITE: Location of the approved Alexandra Dr service station. Picture: SDRC

WARWICK’S latest servo development has seen Southern Downs Regional Council lock horns with developers CivTech over potentially huge infrastructure costs.

A report tabled at Wednesday’s ordinary council meeting revealed approved plans for a service station at 9 Alexandra Dr will require the major water main beneath the site to be relocated or replaced.

CivTech received engineering advice quoting a realignment at $250,000 in October, and proposed SDRC subsidise half and waive the site’s rates for at least five years to offset the additional costs.

“Civtech have embarked on this development with the vision and fulfilment that the new service station will provide a complimentary commercial premises to Warwick and its residents,” the Civtech statement read.

The developer’s alternative suggestion was to rearrange their site plans to avoid building on or too close to the existing water main, though noted this “would not be the ideal scenario”.

CivTech's proposed rearrangement of the new service station to avoid building on/near water main. Picture: SDRC

“Should the water main remain in its current location, it will be buried underground in an existing petrochemical environment up to five metres deep,” the report read.

“The existing line is also a very dated AC pipe and although there is no immediate allocation for an infrastructure upgrade of this pipe, it is old and can encounter a problem at any given moment.”

SDRC stood firm against the developer’s arguments, denying the alternative layout as the service station would no longer meet government regulations.

Council officers also refuted any expectation the ratepayer should foot the bill.

“ (SDRC) made it clear from the onset that the water main will have to be relocated at the developer’s cost for the proposed development,” the SDRC report read.

“As the council does not have any need to undertake works to realign the water main in the near future, the responsibility remains with the applicant to conduct the works to realign the water main in order to implement the proposed development.”

Southern Downs councillors voted unanimously to refuse the developer’s requests.

“I don’t think there’s reason to cut corners or cross our fingers and hope something goes wrong with underground infrastructure,” councillor Stephen Tancred said.

CivTech is yet to indicate a timeline for the development.

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