Fraser Coast council rejects Possum Paradise redevelopment 9-2

A recommendation by planning officers to approve a controversial service station and coffee drive-through at the old Possum Paradise site has been rejected at Wednesday’s council meeting. DETAILS.

Planning documents show the site layout at the proposed service station and food outlet on the corner of Boundary Rd and Senorita Parade.

A bid to redevelop Hervey Bay’s Possum Paradise site into a service station with a drive-through coffee outlet has been rejected.

This is despite a recommendation from the Fraser Coast council’s planning department that the project, on the Urangan corner block owned by veteran real estate agent Glenn Fallon and lawyer Don Gayler, be approved subject to conditions.

Planning officers noted the developers had redesigned the site layout to address concerns about how close fuel bowsers were to homes, that there would be Sunday to Monday operating hours ceasing at 8pm and the recommended approval was conditioned to include noise buffering and “ensure no unreasonable loss of amenity for neighbouring properties during the construction phase”

The report noted the recently upgraded Boundary to Urraween Rd corridor catered for multiple schools and activities and that there were future planned upgrades for further widening to four lanes along with various intersection upgrades including the Robert St to Booral Rd stretch which would involve traffic lights being installed at the site’s corner within the next 10 years.

It also noted there were very few other sites along the corridor which could accommodate this kind of project, that nearby convenience/takeaway options were limited (eg Boundary Oasis, Kawungan Foodworks) and the demand for food and fuel outlets “would continue to grow”.

However, Councillor John Weiland, whose Division 7 takes in the site at the corner of Boundary Rd and Senorita Pde, led with a motion to reject the development because, among other things, of its “inability to meet several planning scheme benchmarks”, position on land not zoned for this purpose and his belief that it did not respect the residential amenity.

He also flagged the many “millions” that would be needed to bring forward the intersection upgrade mentioned in the planning report.

Division 7 councillor John Weiland.

Urging his colleagues to be “fearless” in their decision regardless of the risk of it ending up in the Planning and Environment Court, Mr Weiland said “this motion is clear and reasonable grounds for refusal”.

Referencing two other service station case studies presented to councillors as the closest examples of similar developments- the 7 Eleven at Maryborough near McDonald’s and Red Rooster and the Bideford St service station in the business block occupied by a BWS and the Cheesecake Shop etc – Mr Weiland said these were not comparable.

Instead, those examples proved “without a doubt there’s nothing similar in this region”.

The council report also suggested the closest homes on the opposite side of Senorita Pde from the subject site faced Bluebonnet Court with rear fencing on Senorita Parade and “on balance, it is not considered that the proposal would significantly detract from the existing streetscape, local character or visual amenity in the locality”.

Mayor George Seymour was vocal in his opposition to the project which “clearly can’t meet” the low-density code and didn’t think it was fair to suggest homes wouldn’t be significantly impacted.

“My backyard is more special to me,” Mr Seymour said, also noting one of the properties pictured in the report had a swimming pool in the backyard and none had large front yards.

An aerial image showing the impact on properties within 50 metres of the Possum Paradise site.

Multiple residents from the streets surrounding the site, which has operated as a nursery and then landscaping supplies business for several decades, were in the Tavistock St chambers for the decision on Wednesday.

Councillor Paul Truscott said while he “understood their emotional reasons” for being against the project, the council should not be commercially obstructive.

He said Boundary Rd was the second most important transport link in Hervey Bay and essential in taking pressure off other roads including Boat Harbour Drive.

This was backed by Councillor Denis Chapman who wanted to reduce the days and hours fuel tankers could visit the site but was otherwise for the project.

He thought the current negatives at the site like vehicles parked off the street and dust and dirt from the existing landscaping businesses would be harder to live next to than a service station and councillors should respect the expert opinion of planning officers for the future of the site on Hervey Bay’s key east to west corridor.

Ultimately however, the pair were the only speakers in favour of the project and Mr weiland’s motion to reject the application passed 9-2.

Originally published as Fraser Coast council rejects Possum Paradise redevelopment 9-2