Cher Jimenez
An 80-year-old Turtons Creek environmental campaigner has launched a petition to oppose the building of a new petrol service station in Mirboo North near facilities such as schools and a nursing home.
Ronald Brown said he was “shocked” to discover the South Gippsland Shire Council had accepted a planning permit application from a petrol company to build a second station on Ridgway. He decided to rally the community behind him.
“They should have said no [right away] when they saw where it would be,” Mr Brown told The Express.
Mr Brown, who previously campaigned against HVP Plantations’ plans to harvest 30 trees on Turtons Creek, said the proposed petrol station would be placed right on the main street where there is a primary school, secondary school and a public library.
“It’s going to be in the most sensitive spot on the main street it’s totally unacceptable,” he said.
The South Gippsland Shire confirmed United Petroleum had lodged a planning permit application to build the service station on 36-38 Ridgway, Mirboo North.
Council manager for planning Paul Stampton said they could not “simply reject” United Petroleum’s application because it would have to go through the “proper process” for an application for a land use or development.
The Express tried to reach United Petroleum for comment but was unsuccessful.
Mr Brown has been dropping copies of his petition into every establishment around the area since Friday last week to rally people against the latest possible feature in their community.
“People should be up in arms about it but if they don’t stand up and be counted the shire will give way and let them have it,” Mr Brown, who was born in England and moved to Australia in 1964, said.
He said the proposed petrol station would put children going to the primary and secondary schools at risk and would also cause traffic within the area as large fuel tanks go in and out of the facility.
“They’ve got to put it in the right place – not somewhere that’s destructive to the common good,” he said.
“This is not good planning it shows no vision for the future, no creative genius there at all.”
Mr Brown said the local community was shocked to learn that a planning permit for a petrol station had been lodged before the shire and that some of them have expressed support for his fight.
Mirboo North Primary School principal Matthew Snell said he had given parents a copy of the petition to lobby against the service station.
He said the service station should be placed in an industrial area and that building it on a major thoroughfare where there are children around was “not a great mix”.
Mr Brown plans to bring the results of his petition to an ordinary council meeting where his submission might be taken up.
