Cr Paul Smith moved that the vote on the proposal be deferred when it came up for consideration at the general committee on June 13..

"I'd like to see more information about traffic management there, I have grave doubts about the suitability of the site," Cr Smith said.

Seconding the motion to defer Cr Sharon D'Elboux said she also wanted more information.

"While the site was previously a service station I have some concerns around the traffic," Cr D'Elboux said.

"It's such a bottleneck area that I have a few questions around," she said.

Cr Peter Wright said he was happy to defer the matter but was also happy to vote at last week's meeting.

"If it meets the conditions it can go ahead," Cr Wright said.

He added, in relation to possible bottlenecks at the site, "that's life, we just might to need to develop a bit of patience," Cr Wright said.

The proposed development at 2 Lachlan Street, involves alterations and additions to the existing commercial premise occupied by All Service Motors to provide a 24-hour service station facility with a new light vehicle refuelling area and a retail building.

In a letter to Cowra Council, St Raphael's Parish Priest Fr Laurie Beath said the Parish still opposed the development even though an original application which included a heavy vehicle re-fuelling station had been amended.

"The development as now proposed remains of great concern," Fr Laurie wrote.

Fr Laurie said the Parish's objections centred around safety, traffic impacts, air quality, noise and "the applicants failure to properly address and or justify departures from non-compliances with relevant planning instruments/controls".

"Under the revised proposal, delivery vehicles still exit onto Lachlan Street and this continues to present totally unacceptable safety risks to users of the pedestrian crossing. It is never acceptable to risk lives, including those of children," Fr Laurie said.

"It is clear that adding a 24 hour service station and fast food premises into what is probably the most congested part of Cowra makes no sense at all.

"We remain opposed to the development in its entirety and unwilling to support it even if operational controls were imposed.

"The proposed development is in the wrong place and is not in the public interest," Fr Laurie said.

The retail building will offer a convenience store as well as take-away or sit-down hot food and an amenities area.

Fuel would be available 24 hours a day with pay at pump and the shop would operate Monday to Friday from 5am to 12am, Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays from 7am to 10pm.

An original application for a heavy vehicle re-fuelling area was removed in a re-submitted DA.

Traffic for NSW has granted its "concurrence" to the proposal with a condition that no right turn access be permitted.

A representative for the developer told council's general committee the site was originally approved as a service station.

"Our client is committed to this project, all his sites are in regional areas. Our client is not a fly in fly out operator," the representative said.

An ordinary meeting of Cowra Shire Council will consider the proposal on Monday, June 27, 2022.

Send a letter to the editor by filling out the online form below.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content: