Yarra Ranges Council rejects servo near Mt Evelyn PS after 192 objections

A decision on a contentious new service station in Mt Evelyn has been made after the local council received almost 200 objections from residents.

A BP service station has been recommended for approval on Monbulk Rd, Mt Evelyn despite almost 200 objections. File picture.

A proposed $2.1m service station near a primary school in Melbourne’s hills has been rejected after a groundswell of community support.

Yarra Ranges councillors unanimously refused a permit for the BP service station and 24/7 convenience store at 41 Monbulk Rd, Mt Evelyn at its meeting on Tuesday night, despite officers recommending the project go ahead.

Almost 200 objections were received for the plans, and a large and sometimes rowdy crowd gathered in the gallery to voice their support against approving the petrol station.

Mayor Jim Childs threatened to suspend the meeting at various moments during the hour-long debate of the item due to interjections from the gallery.

The servo was set to be built at the former site of Mt Evelyn Garden and Produce store and about 50m from Mt Evelyn Primary School.

A service station is set to be approved at the site of the former Mt Evelyn Garden and Produce store on Monbulk Rd. Picture: Google Street View.

Mt Evelyn resident Nicholas Sanders, who spoke against the plans, said the proposal posed an “unacceptable health risk” to school students and nearby residents, and had “critical” traffic and design flaws.

“This is an unacceptable health risk given published studies that show a link between continuous environmental exposure to petrol fumes in children and childhood leukaemia,” he said.

“Our primary school should be a safe place, not the site of a future cancer cluster.”

Andrew Casber, speaking on behalf of applicants Peregrine Corporation, disagreed and said the plans complied with EPA guidelines and would “ensure there are no health risks”.

Mr Casber also said the proposed station would offer “a real alternative for customers” in the local area and put “downward pressure on fuel prices”, which drew jeers from the gallery.

He also claimed the retail offering would be “of a range and quality that exceeds the standard currently offered by service stations in Victoria.”

Plans for the new service station proposed at 41 Monbulk Rd in Mount Evelyn. Picture: Extract from council documents.

Cr Tim Heenan, who has lived in the area for 37 years, moved an alternative motion to refuse a permit, saying there were still “major issues that need to be dealt with” as advocated by locals.

“I don’t think it (the petrol station) will ever be of significant benefit to Mt Evelyn,” he said.

“I know my community, I know how the Mt Evelyn people feel... this proposal is wrong in this area.”

Cr Len Cox agreed, saying the proposal was “much more than a planning matter, it’s a people matter.

“We’ve got a lot of issues here for people of that general area … all these kids at the school don’t need to be breathing petrol fumes or exhaust fumes at all,” he said.

Councillors Sophie Todorov and Fiona McAllister initially pushed to defer the item for future debate, but ultimately sided with the other councillors in refusing the permit.

Prior to Tuesday night’s debate, officers had recommended the project go ahead despite determining the section of Monbulk Rd was “not safe” during pick-up and drop-off times at the school.

Their recommendation was based on slip lanes and turning lanes being built near the site, as advised by the Department of Transport, along with a coloured 2.5m-wide footpath to ensure greater awareness of pedestrians.

“The existing parking and access arrangements on Monbulk Rd present significant safety concerns that will need to be resolved, regardless of the current application,” they wrote in a report.

“The proposal provides the opportunity to address these issues at the cost of the developer.”