PLANS for a new service station inside the Springwood housing development will be put in front of the Gawler Council Assessment Panel (CAP) tonight, with nearby residents concerned the project could create traffic problems.

Property developer Leyton Properties has submitted plans to the State Commission Assessment Panel (SCAP) for an X-Convenience petrol station, convenience store and car wash to be built  opposite the corner of Phillips Avenue and Calton Road, Gawler East.

The CAP will discuss the proposal at its meeting tonight, but as the council lost planning authority over the development in November 2018, it can only provide comment to be considered by the SCAP when it makes a decision on the development.

Four land division applications and three commercial applications – one for a showroom, office and café; another for a supermarket, two standalone shops and a carpark; and one for a single-storey preschool – are currently under consideration by the SCAP for the Springwood development, but none have been approved.

Previously, the council sought legal advice which, according to a report to be presented at tonight’s meeting, indicated decisions on any of the commercial applications should be left until after the land applications are approved.

As a result, the report stated the council “is not able to provide its full support”.

The report also recommended the proposal be addressed by the Port Campbell-Adelaide gas pipeline operator SEA Gas, stating “…the petrol filling station application contains higher concentrations of people and a fuel source within close proximity to the SEA Gas high pressure pipeline.”

In written representations to the SCAP as part of the proposed developments’ public consultation process, council chief executive officer Henry Inat raised concerns the SCAP initially had failed to adequately engage a number of properties on nearby Stithians Drive, Phillips Avenue and Normal Court during the consultation period.

The Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure later worked with council to consult the homes previously left out of the process.

At December’s Gawler Council meeting, Gawler East resident Chris Gill spoke on behalf of concerned residents about the development, focusing particularly on the function of Calton Road.

He said if the service station was to go ahead, Melaleuca Drive – which runs parallel to Calton Road – should be extended to Phillips Avenue to allow better access to nearby homes.

“At a meeting some time ago with 70 residents of the area, one of the suggestions to alleviate problems in regards to traffic and the development is that Melaleuca Drive be extended, making it
an access road for the neighbourhood, rather than using Calton Road,” he said.

“Recently the speed limit (on Calton Road) was dropped from 80km/h to 50km/h, suggesting to us that this is a neighbourhood or suburban road, not an arterial road as such… and is not a road that should have major development attached to it like a service station.”