LOCALS are making a last minute plea to prevent a Coles Express service station in the Swan Hill CBD, maintaining the development poses serious health and safety risks.
A special Swan Hill Rural City Council assembly will be held on Tuesday afternoon granting objectors a chance to voice their concerns about the proposal.
In a departure from normal council practice, councillors will vote on the proposal immediately after the assembly.
Objectors have called for the service station to be developed away from Swan Hill’s residential area, raising red flags about potential traffic congestion, pollution and pedestrian safety at the proposed location.
The planning permit application for the empty block on the corner of McCallum and Beveridge streets attracted six objections and a 400-signature petition when it was lodged with council in October.
Beryl Lowe, chairperson of the Visitor and Community Comfort Centre, told The Guardian if the proposal gets the green light the area will witness a greater number of car accidents.
“I’ll give it three to six months if that service station goes ahead before an accident occurs,” she said.
“If Coles want to put another one up, surely they can go either end of town not in the centre. Behind Aldi would be perfect.”
An existing service station is located on the other side of McCallum Street and Ms Lowe raised concerns about potential health impacts for asthmatics.
“Children and adults with asthma already come into our centre breathing heavily,” she said.
“People have coped with one petrol station, but two?”
For more on this story pick up a copy of Friday’s Guardian (January 15, 2016).
