Slip lane impost removed

The developer of a proposed Causeway Road service station has been spared costs between $180,000 and $240,000 by City of Busselton councillors in a bid to promote development of a site described as a “disgrace”, an “embarrassment” and an “eyesore”.

During Wednesday night’s council meeting, Councillor Gordon Bleechmore recommended the removal of a condition requiring that the developer construct a slip lane.

Cr Bleechmore questioned the “unfair imposition” on the developer given traffic studies indicated there was “no technical requirement” for the slip lane.

“There have been three engineers in total look at the project and they unanimously said there was no need,” he said.

“I’m no engineer but I’m happy to be guided by the engineers who have provided this advice.”

However, City officers wrote in a response to Cr Bleechmore’s alternative motion that City-appointed traffic engineers recommended the slip lane to guarantee the safety of “one of the busiest roads in the city”.

“It is understood that the applicant is not contesting the need or appropriateness of the slip lane, but rather the cost of the works and who meets those costs,” City officers wrote.

At last week’s meeting, the developer requested that the City go dollar for dollar on the slip lane’s construction costs, but City chief executive Mike Archer said he was unaware of any other development to which the City contributed funds.

During Wednesday night’s debate, Cr Paul Carter urged councillors to promote the site’s development, which he described as an “eyesore” and a “disgrace”.

“I attended the site last week and there’s actually adequate room,” he said.

“We shouldn’t be doing anything to stop the development.”

Mayor Grant Henley added it was an “embarrassment” at the entrance to the City, and agreed to be guided by the engineers who deemed the slip lane unnecessary.

The service station and ancillary businesses, including fruit and vegetable sales and a drive-through coffee outlet, will be at Lot 1 Causeway Road, with construction set to start within two years.

Cr Bleechmore’s motion was voted through 8-1, despite Cr Ross Paine’s objections based on the “inappropriate” scale of the ancillary uses.