‘No appetite’ for Hungry Jack’s at Cornubia says Logan council
A southeast Queensland council has rejected plans to build a drive-through Hungry Jack’s on a main road, opposite a coffee outlet which also has a drive-through. SEE THE SITE ON OUR VIDEO
Logan
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A court case looms after a large southside council knocked back an application for a Hungry Jack’s drive-through restaurant on a main road, claiming there was no appetite for the fast-food outlet in the area.
Logan City Council tentatively canned plans by developer Don’t No Pty Ltd, who wanted to build the Hungry Jack’s on vacant land on Beenleigh-Redland Bay Rd.
The developer owns the vacant piece of land and its adjoining block, which currently has a Caltex service station, which was also once the subject of a development court case which the council lost.
Spokesman for the developer Gabe Sciarretta said after the decision is finalised next Wednesday, lawyers would assess legal options with plans to take the matter to the Planning and Environment Court.
He said the company had done its due diligence and found there was demand for the restaurant in the area and said the council refusal was “incongruous” as there was a drive-through coffee and restaurant across the road.
“We can’t believe the decision and it is likely we will fight it in court,” Mr Sciarretta said.
“There is no valid reason for this not going ahead especially after there was a previous court case over the service station which the council lost.
“The council is just trying to please residents by adhering to an outdated local town plan which is no longer relevant in this area.
“This project would create about 80 to 100 jobs and you would think that would be important in these times.”
Comprehensive plans for the 6031sq m site, on the corner of Brindabella St and Beenleigh-Redland Bay Rd, were lodged in September, more than 10 years after the site was the subject of a previous court case, which ended with the service station being built.
But during a three-week public submission period, which started in February, 28 letters of opposition outlined a campaign against the fast food chain plan.
Complaints ranged in nature from concern about the noise from a 24-hour Hungry Jack’s to loss of amenity and use of the site as a truck stop.
Annette Freeman, who lives in nearby Bromley St, said she was concerned the drive-through would open up the area to increased crime.
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“Food outlets like this are more of a social meeting place than just the petrol station on its own and could attract clientele who may cruise the local streets nearby late at night,” she said.
Mark and Rosalind Scull, who also live in Bromley St, said they were concerned it would devalue their property.
Cassandra and Todd Ryan, whose Braddon St home is less than 600m from the site, said they didn’t want their neighbourhood to become a rat run to the outlet, which they said was “unnecessary”.
Neighbour Elizabeth Fischer said fast food outlets were already nearby in Bryants Rd where there was a McDonald’s, KFC and a Hungry Jack’s at the Hyperdome, less than 3km away.
Logan councillor for the area Miriam Stemp told Wednesday’s planning meeting the decision was in line with community sentiment and said it showed the council was listening to residents.
The meeting was also told the plans were refused because it “conflicted with the bushland settings” and there were more appropriate sites suitably zoned in the area.