A DISPUTE over a proposed service station in Wonthaggi seems to have come to a close, with the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) ordering that a planning permit be issued for the project.
The development, at 63-67 McKenzie Street, will see a service station built on formerly residential land where houses were only recently demolished.
Bass Coast Shire Council confirmed the matter was resolved between all parties before the scheduled VCAT hearing, after the company behind the proposal, Pearl Energy, amended its plans to address concerns raised by objectors. As a result, both objectors withdrew from the appeal.
Council told the Sentinel-Times that VCAT subsequently ordered the permit to be issued, but no formal published order exists because the resolution was reached prior to the hearing.
According to the planning permit, the site will allow a service station with associated buildings, works, and signage – including internally illuminated signs – in a General Residential Zone. To proceed, the developers must first vary a restriction on the land’s title that previously limited the land to dwellings only.
The permit sets strict conditions on how the site must operate. Opening hours will be limited to 5.30am to 10.30pm Monday to Friday, and 6am to 10pm on weekends. Deliveries, including fuel, will only be allowed between 7am and 9pm on weekdays and Saturdays, and from 9am to 8pm on Sundays and public holidays.
Noise and lighting controls will also apply. The developers must install acoustic fencing and manage light spill to minimise impacts on nearby homes. Signs must be kept tidy, must not flash or move, and can only be illuminated during operating hours.
Traffic safety has been a key concern throughout the process. To address this, the service station’s entry and exit on McKenzie Street must be “left in, left out only”. Additional roadworks, signage, and a modified median island will be required to prevent right turns in and out of the site.
However, while the permit has now been issued, the project is not fully ready just yet. Council has confirmed that amended plans still need to be submitted and endorsed to ensure all conditions – including drainage, landscaping and traffic management – are met before any construction can begin.
Before works start, the developer must also consolidate the three land titles into one and satisfy various technical and environmental requirements. If the project does not begin within three years, the planning permit will expire.
Pearl Energy’s proposed development has drawn community attention since early this year, when residents initially raised concerns about squatters occupying three houses, particularly a double-storey corner property, that has since been demolished to make way for the project. Now, after a process involving Council, residents and VCAT, the project is set to go ahead – but only under detailed conditions aimed at minimising the impact on the surrounding neighbourhood.
