A fourth service station has been approved in the Yanchep shopping area despite 127 submissions against the proposal and concerns raised by Main Roads WA about direct access onto Marmion Ave.

On August 1 Main Roads recommended refusal of the 24-hour service station, motor vehicle wash, dog wash and fast-food proposal valued at $3 million.

Main Roads cited concerns with the left-out turn outlined for Marmion Ave as it was within 150m of the Marmion Ave and Yanchep Beach Rd roundabout, on a curve at 60kmh and there were affected sightlines.

Not mentioned in the publicly available reports submitted by the City of Wanneroo and the Western Australian Planning Commission is that a bus stop is in the slip road to the service road for Lot 395 (no 1) Peony Blvd.

On November 5 the Outer Metro development assessment panel (DAP), which includes two city councillors – North-East ward Cr Bronwyn Smith and Central ward Cr Jacqui Huntley – voted for the proposal but with conditions – a) the conditions recommended by the City of Wanneroo in its responsible authority report and b) the following conditions:

“Prior to the development opening to the public, a road safety audit is to be conducted at the 15 per cent design concept stage by an independent third-party consultant at the cost of the applicant,’’ the DAP report said.

“First the applicant shall forward the completed road safety audit report to the City of Wanneroo and Main Roads WA.

“The recommendations relevant to the development in the road safety audit report shall be implemented in their entirety and to the satisfaction of the City of Wanneroo and to the specifications of Main Roads WA.

“Second prior to the issue of a building permit, the developer must undertake a 15 per cent design concept plan for the intersection-crossover at Marmion Ave (onto the service road) including any road upgrades onto Marmion Ave at the full cost of the landowner-applicant to the specification of Main Roads and to the satisfaction of the City of Wanneroo.

“Third prior to the occupation of the development, the applicant must upgrade the intersection-crossover at Marmion Ave (onto the service road) and complete any other necessary upgrades on Marmion Ave and the service road at the full cost of the landowner-applicant to the specification of Main Roads and to the satisfaction of the City of Wanneroo.

“The upgrades must be in accordance with the 15 per cent design concept plan outlined in condition two.’’

The advice notes included in regard to condition two, that the road safety audit was also to be submitted with the 15 per cent design concept plan as part of any approval required from Main Roads for works undertaken in the road reserve with Main Roads advising no works were permitted within the Marmion Ave road reservation unless Main Roads had issued a working on roads permit and that no direct vehicular access to Marmion Rd was permitted.

Meanwhile, a 2024 Department of Health Position statement: Service stations and sensitive land uses details the department’s position on adequate separation distances between service stations and sensitive land-uses including schools.

“This document is predominantly for local governments to support them in their decision-making for development applications involving service stations,’’ the position statement said.

“The department is regularly requested to provide public health advice on planning applications involving development of service stations in close proximity to an existing sensitive land-use, such as a residence or child-care centre, or for the development of a sensitive land-use that may be in close proximity to an existing service station.

“The department refers to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) Guidance for the assessment of environmental factors: Separation distances between industrial and sensitive land uses (EPA, 2005) to provide guidance.

“The Department of Health continues to support the use of minimum separation distances of 50m for service stations operating during normal business hours, 100m for 24-hour service stations.

“At this time there is insufficient evidence to support the 200m distance for non-freeway 24-hour service stations.’’

This article appeared on Yanchep News Online on 2 December 2024.