New servo, and drive through outlets planned for Caravonica vacant lot
A significant development including service station, car wash, two drive through fast food outlets and a childcare centre has been proposed for a vacant parcel of land in Cairns. See the plans.
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A significant development including service station, car wash, two drive-through fast food outlets and a childcare centre has been proposed for a vacant at Caravonica.
Cairns Regional Council first received four material change of use development applications from Gunjal Property and Hladini Property in October 2023.
The companies which also own the land are under the directorship of businessmen Rameshkumar Patel and Harshita Singh, respectively.
In November last year the State Assessment and Referral Agency requested information from the applicants which was extended in April this year. The request was responded to last month which held up the public submission process required due to the proposal being an impact assessable development.
“The service station shop and (one) food and drink outlet will be attached and located towards the northwestern boundary of the site, the second food and drink outlet and the car wash will be located centrally on the site, and the childcare centre will be located at the northeastern end of the site to ensure substantial building separation from the other uses,” the application states.
The proposed service station will be operated by OOM Energy but the operator of the two drive through outlets was not revealed in the development application.
The nearest existing service stations are located at the Redlynch Shopping Centre and on the Captain Cook Highway at Smithfield.
Two points of vehicle access on Lake Placid Road are proposed and 89 carparking spaces are planned.
The development acknowledges the Caravonica falls within a flood hazard area but referencing Cairns Regional Council’s Barron River hydraulic model the application claims buildings will not be impacted by 95 per cent of regional flood events.
“It is considered that the proposed development is able to demonstrate compliance with the relevant assessment benchmarks within the flood and inundation hazards overlay code and is an appropriate development outcome for the site with regard to flood and inundation hazards risk,” the application reads.
On November 10, 2023 council questioned the need for the development given existing facilities in Smithfield and Redlynch to which developers responded.
“Demand for food and drink retail significantly exceeds the local supply …(and) recent population growth in the local area has been substantially greater than that anticipated,” the response stated.
Council concerns were also raise about noise, traffic water and sewer which were also addressed by the proponent.
Feedback from people living in the area while broadly supporting a nearby fuel stop also raised concerns given the site’s proximity to the Kamerunga Villas complex that went under when the Barron River broke its banks in December, 2023.
Public submissions on the development can be made through council’s website until November 6.
Developers have been contacted for comment.
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Originally published as New servo, and drive through outlets planned for Caravonica vacant lot
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