Roundabout development appeal hearing set

The State’s planning umpire is set to decide next month if a service station and lunch bar will be built at Albany’s Chester Pass Road roundabout.

The proponent of the $2.4 million service station Peter Webb and Associates lodged an appeal with the State Administrative Tribunal after City of Albany council rejected the proposal at their February meeting amid safety concerns.

A hearing date for the controversial development is set to be held across three days from May 24-26.

The matter is set for another directions hearing tomorrow.

Main Roads has also previously objected to the proposal, raising concerns a development would increase traffic and create more “conflict points” at the roundabout, but this has been refuted by the proponent.

The Albany Highway and South Coast Highway intersection, including the Chester Pass roundabout, has been ranked in the top 10 in the RAC riskiest roads survey across WA and the second riskiest regional intersection.

City acting chief executive Michael Cole said the City maintained its concerns about public safety and welcomed the SAT hearing.

“Council has concerns around traffic management and community safety at the Chester Pass roundabout as a result of the proposed service station development and welcomes the opportunity to present its case for opposing this development at the upcoming SAT hearing,” he said.

“The City will not be making any further comment on this matter until SAT delivers a decision on the applicant’s appeal.”

The roundabout site has remained vacant for more than a decade until it was bought and the development application was lodged late last year.