Residents have told Sarah Hathway, Socialist Alliance’s Corio Ward candidate for the City of Greater Geelong, about an inappropriate planning application for a vacant block on the corner of Nevada Avenue and Cox Road.
“I’m concerned about the impact it will have on residents and local businesses on Nevada Avenue,” Hathway told Green Left on October 5.
A planning application for a 24/7 service station, including small scale retail, car wash and a drive through coffee venue on Cox Road, has been submitted to council. The plan is for cars and delivery trucks to exit on to Nevada Avenue, a narrow street of manly residential housing, with a small shopping strip at the other end.
“I spoke to the business owners earlier this week who were not aware of the planning application,” Hathway said. “They were worried. Local shopping strips in the North are already struggling.”
Nevada Avenue residents said a 24/7 service station and coffee venue on a block amid residential housing made no sense.
One resident, Julia, pointed to all the houses alongside the vacant block. “Why would they build this here right next to someone’s bedroom windows? It makes no sense!”
Nevada Avenue residents are organising themselves to make public submissions, and more than nine objections have been lodged at the council’s Statutory Planning department.
“I hope there is sufficient scrutiny,” Hathway said. “Normally, if there are at least six objections, a councillor can have a planning application reviewed by a panel of councillors.”
The City of Greater Geelong Council is in caretaker mode as the local government elections begin. As councillors will no longer have their positions as of 5pm on October 25, it means residents will need to wait until after the Victorian Electoral Commission declares the election results and the new councillors are sworn in late November.
[Photo attached. Pictured Sarah Hathway candidate for Corio Ward in the City of Greater Geelong, along with Nevada Avenue residents Julia, Caitlyn and Carly.]