Despite a majority support for an ALDI supermarket in Moss Vale, the development application (DA) was refused at the November 22 council meeting.
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A DA was lodged for 166 Argyle Street and 6-8 Robertson Road, Moss Vale.
Most councillors were in favour of ALDI itself but it was “serious” road safety concerns which led them to knock back the proposal.
The key issue was the right hand turn into the supermarket off Argyle Street from the Moss Vale direction.
Councillors voiced concerns about how safe this option would be in practice.
There was also concern about what impact extra traffic resulting from the development would have on the Suttor Road roundabout which is already close to capacity.
Council traffic and transport planning engineer Frank Iacono said the access arrangement of Argyle Street could compromise road safety.
“I have looked at this development in great detail and share your concerns about the saturation levels at the roundabout.”
At the meeting he told councillors he had written to the RMS to express his concerns but had not received a response.
Earlier at the meeting, Moss Vale business owner Brian Davis voiced similar concerns and said it would be a “traffic shemozzle”.
Most councillors were sympathetic to ALDI and supported the development itself.
However the concern over road safety and potential accidents proved to be a stumbling block.
A report by council staff said shared entries and exits between the two streets could satisfy RMS requirements. An RMS spokesperson said it had provided input to council and the developer on several occasions during the assessment process.
“During this process the developer made amendments to their submitted plans and supporting documentation to address issues Roads and Maritime raised,” they said.
Councillors unanimously supported Cr Halstead’s motion to refuse.
He said the right hand turn did conform with Part 6 of the Austroads guide to traffic management in regards to intersections and crossings.
“I’ve got some major concerns and they relate to road safety and what can happen should a road crash occur,” he said. Cr Halstead reminded councillors that while the RMS was the road authority, it was council that owned the road.