New servo approved between Robinvale and Euston

THE junction of two major highways between Robinvale and Euston will be home to a new United Petroleum 24-hour service station and takeaway food outlet.

Balranald Shire approved the development application earlier this week, which pinpoints the junction of the Sturt and Murray Valley highways as the site for the development on about 7200 sq m of land.

The shire’s director of infrastructure and development Ray Davy said council first received the application “some months ago”.

“As is always the case, they go off to various referral agencies for their comment, and of course, is advertised for public response,” he said.

“We received one objection on the grounds of traffic issues … there are various conditions in place (to address that).

“The Murray Darling Basin Authority had concerns about the on-site sewerage management and the potential for that to cause contamination of the Murray River.

“Ultimately we were satisfied with what we’d been told… having ticked all the boxes, it went to council and was approved.”

Mr Davy confirmed the site would include a roadhouse and a food outlet.

“Fundamentally, council’s position is that developments are approved if there are no ground not to approve them,” he said.

“It’s not the role of local government to decide that something is good or bad.

“If a development of any sort satisfied the rules of the planning scheme, then council really has no grounds for not approving it… we have no information as to when they intend to start construction, that’s up to the developers.”

The service station will join 450 other United Petroleum sites across Australia.

The approval cames as Swan Hill Rural City Council voted to sell a parcel of former residential land on Bromley Road in Robinvale earlier this year, where a $1.5 million Subway restaurant is expected to open.

According to a presentation made by Roy Costa Planning and Development on behalf of the developer, the franchise would be open 24/7 during harvest season, and a minimum of 98 hours per week, seven days per week.

It would also create 15 to 20 jobs in the region.