Surface tension

To seal or not to seal remains the question facing South Gippsland Shire councillors over a proposed new section of road in Gardner Lane Poowong.

The new stretch of road is intended to run parallel to part of the existing sealed road, enabling separation of general road users from the operations of the local abattoir, which is situated on the roadside.

While that proposal has received strong support, previously mooted council plans to make the new road section gravel have been labelled a backward step.

Gardner Lane resident Noel Tonkin put that view directly to councillors at a Committee of Council meeting on Wednesday, following his submission on the subject during a now closed public consultation period.

He argued that a gravel road would be detrimental to businesses operating on his property, particularly his daughter Samantha’s kennel and cattery, and a separate pet grooming operation.

Farming and plumbing businesses also operate from the property.

Mr Tonkin spoke in relation to Samantha Tonkin’s separate submission, stating that her kennel and cattery business has over 3,000 clients on its books.

“One of the reasons we built these kennels is because we had access to our property with a bitumen road and it’s going to have an effect on our business if you take away this bitumen road,” Mr Tonkin said.

He argued council-operated gravel roads in South Gippsland Shire are often in poor condition, with potholes a major issue, and stressed that many people coming from Melbourne won’t want to use a dirt road to access his property, negatively impacting business.

While the Tonkin driveway is gravel, Mr Tonkin has previously said he regularly grades it to ensure it remains in good condition for those visiting the property.

Executor for the estate of the Gardner Lane property adjoining Mr Tonkin’s land, Jim Pippey, also put forward a submission detailing his concerns at Wednesday’s meeting.

He is supportive of the need to separate property access from the abattoir’s trucks, forklifts and other operations, but strongly objects to the prospect of a gravel road.

“What council is doing is taking away a service that we had and giving us an inferior service,” he said of the proposed gravel road section.

Mr Pippey argues that the decision as to whether to seal the new road surface should not be subject to council’s usual traffic volume criteria.

He said the road section is only set to become gravel due to council’s action and the cost should be considered as part of an overall project, rather than treated like an existing unsealed road.

Both Mr Tonkin and Mr Pippey have suggested paying for the new strip of road to be sealed out of funds raised by the sale of land to the abattoir business.

However, Council CEO Keryn Ellis stated in a letter to Mr Tonkin in June last year that “the independent valuation of the land which is likely to be subject to a road discontinuance process represents only a small portion of the likely construction cost of the new road to your property.”

Mr Tonkin said he has attempted to find out the valuation figure for that land but was unsuccessful in a freedom of information request to council.

He said he was advised that the information is confidential, but argues that ratepayers deserve to know the situation.

Councillors’ decision on Gardner Lane’s future will have to wait until at least the March 16 Council meeting.

It is intended a report will be put to councillors then.