THE NEW Tweed Shire councillors have unaminously voted against an application for the Round House Tavern site to become a Coles Express Service Station at Alma Street, South Murwillumbah.
Councillor Warren Polglase said he was noted as a councillor who supports local small business, but he could not support a business such as a service station in that location.
The crowd applauded when the development was knocked back.
The recommendation from council officers was that council provides consent for the service station to progress.
In council’s approval statement: “The proposed development is considered to be generally appropriate for the subject site and is recommended for approval subject to the imposition of recommended conditions of consent”.
There were however numerous objections from members of the public.
During exhibition of the Development Application, approximately 39 submissions were received as well as a petition containing 113 signatories, some of which objected to the development proposal based on the impact the proposal would have on the surrounding road network generally and Hayes Lane in particular.
“We the undersigned respectfully petition the rejection of the request to build another service station at the site of the Round House Pub,” the report reads.
“The country town character of Murwillumbah is fast being destroyed by the corporate destruction of all the small businesses.
“Murwillumbah does not need 5 service stations on the same road over a distance of 840 meters. We also believe that this will present a traffic hazard particularly for the towns growing aged population.”
Councillors received more than 30 pages of extensive research and information from the Coles development company, who addressed issues from flora and fauna as well as pedestrian crossing proposals and traffic management plans.