Plans to open the State’s first On the Run (OTR) service station complex with a car wash and drive-through food outlet on Formby Road have received the green light from the Devonport City Council despite some traffic concerns getting raised.
OTR, the South Australian fuel and convenience chain owned by Peregrine Corporation, have sites across SA, Victoria, and Western Australia.
The Devonport proposal is to build an OTR service station complex on two lots at 10 and 11 Formby Road.
Councillors Damien Viney and Steve Martin voted against it.
The council received three objections to the project and a council assessment report raised concerns the new service station complex will add to traffic congestion on one of Devonport’s main arterial routes.
A senior council planner’s report said the Development and Infrastructure and Works staff assessed the proposal and identified several concerns.
The council assessment determined the safety of the Elizabeth Street and Formby Rd junction will be compromised by the increase in vehicle movements from the site.
It will also negatively impact the efficiency of the road network, and the impact of the car wash on the amenity of the adjacent residential property to the immediate west is unreasonable, the assessment found.
The applicant sought approval for the demolition of the existing buildings at 10 and 11 Formby Rd.
The plan is to build the car wash “right to the boundary of 7 Elizabeth St.”
The project site at 10 Formby Rd was most recently a used car yard that closed about two years ago.
The site at 11 Formby Rd was used as a warehouse and showroom by a supplier of disability aids. Access to the new service station will be from Formby Rd and Elizabeth St.
A neighbour said he was worried about the impact of the car wash on residential amenity.
The owner of 13 Formby Road raised concerns about traffic congestion on the road network; existing issues with the intersection and possible traffic congestion within the service station complex site.
Extracted in full from: Council backs new OTR service station complex, car wash and food outlet | The Advocate | Burnie, TAS
