Electric cars fuel service station boom

LOGAN is on the road to ­becoming part of the state’s electric car super highway.

Yarrabilba resident Jim Barbey at the electric car charging bay.

LOGAN is on the road to ­becoming part of the state’s electric super highway.

The statement was made when Logan City Council was assessing a development application for a service station at Middle Rd, Greenbank. An officer told the council there had been a rise in the number of applications for service stations because of emerging housing estates such as Flagstone and Yarrabilba, and suitable sites becoming available.

This year, council has approved four new servos — at Berrinba, Waterford, Bethania and Logan Reserve.

Division 7 councillor Laurie Smith said the Middle Rd site was dangerous and inappropriate as it was “in the middle of a roundabout on a road which was bumper to bumper” every day.

He said he believed the influx of applications was part of a business plan by fuel companies to snap up sites before the electric-car boom.

“All of a sudden we’re seeing petrol stations turn up on predominantly corner sites with large traffic flow-throughs,” Cr Smith said.

“Petrol stations will change and will become more of a local market go-to place where you can shop and have coffee while you wait for your vehicle to recharge.” He disagreed with a council report which said the servo was needed in the area, where Cr Smith listed seven within a 10km radius.

Council decided to give preliminary approval to the application after Mayor Luke Smith and Division 5 Cr Jon Raven said it was in the urban footprint and they believed there was a need.

In July, the state said it wanted an electric corridor super highway with 18 charging stations between the Gold Coast and Cairns