DEVELOPMENT on a contentious service station in the heart of Swan Hill has been given the go ahead by council.
The planning application, which attracted six objections and one supporting submission when it was lodged in October, was passed four votes to two at a special council meeting on Tuesday afternoon.
The proposal was opposed by community members who voiced concerns during a consultation session prior to the meeting.
Those concerns included the suitability of location, traffic, safety, loss of on-street car parks and a lack of need for another petrol station in Swan Hill.
Despite the concerns, director of development and planning Adam McSwain recommended council grant the permit under conditions imposed by VicRoads and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Mr McSwain said although the size of the site did not meet the area requirements under the local planning scheme, the proposal created a “better design solution” to account for this.
For more on this story, grab a copy of Friday’s Guardian (January 22).
