IN what could trigger a referral to the State Administrative Tribunal, the panel tasked with assessing a development application for a service station on the corner of Newman Rd but has reduced the hours it can open each day.
On Monday, November 19 the Metro North-West joint development assessment panel (JDAP) approved the proposal for 12 petrol pumps and a convenience store but instead of allowing the service to stay open until midnight the JDAP set the opening hours at 6am to 7pm.
According to information on the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) website proponent BP Australia, who wants to buy Lot 11 from owners Goa Investments, has to lodge an application with SAT within 28 days of the date on which the original decision-maker gives notice of the decision or apply for an extension.
At the JDAP meeting resident Ryan Cristonsen said once it was built anyone wanting to get a quick exit from the service station would use a service road between Newman Rd and Walker St, which was presently only used by residents, students and people accessing public transport.
He said the location of the service station would create a similar issue as to what happened with the Puma service station on Kakadu Rd, where to avoid the left-in left-out entry onto Yanchep Beach Rd drivers had driven across vacant land and then used a parking area close to the Yanchep Police Station to turn right.
Eventually boulders were put on the dirt track to stop drivers using it.
Yanchep resident Bob Figg said the JDAP experience showed the planning process was loaded against the community.
“It’s all about big companies getting the decisions they want,’’ he said.
“Ninety per cent of respondents objected, but their views count for absolutely nothing.
“The City of Wanneroo’s own planning scheme says buildings associated with convenience stores cannot exceed 300sqm.
“The term ‘convenience store’ is used to allow a service station to sneak into the area; the canopy-covered area being used to sell the fuel is over that size limit on its own, but is apparently not even considered as a building.
“If I put a carport up on my front lawn without a building licence, the council would be out like a shot to make me pull it down, yet here the city’s own rules are ignored when it suits them.
“I really feel for the residents who live next to this ridiculous development.
“It will ruin their quality of life.
“Those further away might not think it will affect them.
“But just wait until the traffic chaos that is inevitable at the Yanchep Beach Rd, Two Rocks Rd junction.
“People much further away will suddenly find their once quiet streets being used as rat runs to get around it.’’
Brazier Rd resident Warrick Palmateer said he placed at the main Yanchep Lagoon car park on Saturday, November 10 for just that one day and 141 locals and visitors signed it to show they were not in favour of the proposal.
No one from Harley Dykstra Pty Ltd, which made the development application for BP Australia, made a deputation at the meeting.
Disclosure: The journalist is a nearby landowner.
