By Jeremy Sollars
Southern Downs councillors will this week vote on plans for a new service station on the site of the St Mary’s Tennis Pavilion and squash courts at the corner of Wood and Guy Streets in Warwick.
A report on a development application submitted by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Toowoomba which owns the site will be tabled at the May meeting of the council on Wednesday of this week, 27 May.
Council officers will recommend the application be approved subject to a range of conditions.
If approved the project will involve the demolition of the existing buildings on the site including the squash courts – and the tennis courts – none of which are listed on the council’s Local Heritage Register.
The proposal is for a 24/7 service station operation.
The report to councillors states that while the existing buildings are not heritage-listed “there is a sense of attachment from the community to these buildings and the use of them for sport and recreation uses and gatherings”.
“The need to manage the process in considering community expectations surrounding these buildings, has been raised with the landowners,” the council officers’ report states.
“St Mary’s Hall will not be structurally affected by the proposed development.”
Entry to the service station would be off Wood Street. Exit would be either via Wood Street or via two exit-only and left-turn only points on Guy Street.
“Council has recognised that the proposed left-in, left-out treatments are similar to a Service station previously approved along Albion Street at an intersection with traffic lights, which later proved to be unsuitable for the area,” the report states.
To view the full council report click this link –
southerndowns.infocouncil.biz/Open/2020/05/CO_27052020_AGN_462_AT.PDF
Wednesday’s council meeting will be live-streamed to the public on the SDRC Facebook page from 9am.
