Toowoomba council approves new car wash at Clifford Gardens Shopping Centre despite backlash from neighbours

A new car wash is coming to a major Toowoomba shopping centre, and it’s raised the concerns of locals over attracting criminals.

A Toowoomba shopping centre has been given the green light to build a new car wash despite objections from residents and neighbouring landholders, who feared it would encourage “late-night gatherings” of people.

Clifford Gardens Shopping Centre has been approved for a new open-air 136 sqm car wash with three bays in the northeast corner of the site.

The initial report by Revolution Town Planning argued the car wash would operate from 7am to 10pm every day and offer a “pay-as-you-go” business model.

The plan, which was lodged back in May, would come at the expense of some carparking and at least six trees on the site.

According to the assessment report in Jayden Forbes-Mitchell, the application was supported by a number of other reports into noise and traffic impacts, stormwater and waste management and arboricultural assessments.

Approved plans for a car wash at Clifford Gardens Shopping Centre, which got the green light despite protests from residents and business owners.

However, two submissions lodged against the proposal highlighted planning issues and raised fears of the development adding to cases of “late-night antics” witnessed in the immediate area.

Wai Kwok, who owns the neighbouring building housing Gold’s Gym, outlined these issues in his letter to council.

“There has already been cases of late-night antics (like) rows of light bulbs smashed systematically underneath the Gold’s Gym car park,” he wrote.

“Would this new site encourage more late-night gatherings?

“There are many other options for the placement of this building within the applicant’s lot that may be more suitable to not create as significant impact to pedestrians and lot 16 (Gold’s Gym) which I would propose the applicant consider.”

Newtown residents David and Catherine Martinelli expanded on these concerns, arguing the car wash could attract “potential offenders” to within proximity of the nearby Glennie School boarding house.

“This business can potential create a situation where people can be in apparently a legitimate place for potential illegitimate intentions,” the pair wrote.

“People requiring car wash service are already being catered too by two car washes with a one to two-kilometre radius of this location.”

In response, Mr Forbes-Mitchell indicated that the car wash would not be a 24-hour operation, and that there was no requirement for an economic needs assessment.

He also found the alleged risk of attracting “offenders” to the area “unsubstantiated”.

The approval follows a slate of changes to Clifford Gardens under its new owner Elanor Investors Group, which bought the centre last year for $145m.