Funds raised to stop plans to build 24-7 service station

A campaign group rallying against plans for a 24-7 service station in North Perth has raised thousands of dollars to hire a town planner to speak against the development at a future meeting.

Landowner OTR 208 Pty Ltd wants to demolish a family owned car garage and petrol station in North Perth and replace it with a $2.5 million 24-7 OTR service station and motor vehicle repair centre.

But the proposed plans have met strong opposition from local residents.

The Stop the Station campaign hopes to stop the development in its tracks.

It’s raised more than $4000 through a GoFundMe page to hire a town planner to argue against the plans on behalf of the group at a future Joint Development Assessment Panel meeting. The date for the meeting is yet to be set.

Retired Mt Lawley Primary School principal Don Barba, who’s leading the campaign, said representation by a town planner would enable the group to present the “strongest case possible to stop the station”.

“We’ve met, she’s (the town planner) is on board and everything is set to go,” he said.

“This development will be dire for local businesses and the health of residents, visitors and North Perth Primary School students.

“The two streets (Woodville and Angove streets) servicing the proposed development are too narrow for any additional traffic flow.”

Plans include a two-storey building at 41-45 Angove Street with eight fuel filling positions, which is an increase from the current six on site.

A convenience store is planned for the ground level with an office room and balcony on the upper level.

Mr Barba said the dated 45-year-old existing car garage and petrol station had worked fine in the past but the topography along Angove Street had since changed.

“You cannot have the heartbeat of North Perth which is Angove Street subjected to a service station which lends noting to what the current topography is,” he said.

“The approved use of the site as a service station is a relic of a past era when Angove Street had no cafe strip, small traffic flow and is no longer commensurate with today’s community usage.”

But Applicant Hidding Urban Planning wrote in a report the proposed development warranted approval as it would build upon the historic use of the site.

“The proposed development provides for the redevelopment of the existing site, which is currently in poor condition,” the report said.

“The proposed development will provide increased services to the North Perth locality.”

The City of Vincent has since put the development application on hold as it awaits more information from the applicant on the “appropriateness” of the proposed service station at the Angrove Street site.

The city gave a deadline of December 9 last year but the applicant requested more time and has until January 20 to provide the requested information.

“This (information) includes matters relating to the compatibility of the land use in the area, traffic generation, noise emission, impacts from odour and fumes, intensity from operating 24-7, building design and landscaping provision,” City of Vincent acting CEO Peter Varris said.

“The request has arisen from the assessment of the proposed development completed to date by the city, along with comments and concerns raised by the community when the application was advertised for public comment.”

Mr Varris said he expected the additional information would be submitted by January 20 but if there was a delay, the applicant and the city would need to agree to a new date.

“Any extended deadline will also need to be confirmed by the State’s Development Assessment Panel, as it is responsible for determining the application,” he said.