A Dapto smash repair business fears closure if Wollongong City Council does not do the “fair thing”.
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Owners of CPC Quality Smash Repairs, Rita Di Cesare and her brother Gino, say the Fowlers Road to Fairwater Drive Link bridge and the deviation of Marshall Street will mean passing trade significantly declines.
The business, which was started by the sibling’s father in 1980, said the road changes would leave the business at a dead end and drivers would not be able to see the business.
“Marshall Street was like the Princes Highway,” Ms Di Cesare said. “It was always busy.
“All we want is to have a driveway at the back of our premises so we can turn around our building so our shop stills faces a main road. It seems like a logical solution. We are not asking for compensation.
“Having our business on the main road will allow drivers to see us, come in, get a quote and become repeat customers if they like our work. We will be completely invisible. We won’t get any new customers. Drivers will be able to see my competitor from the traffic lights but not us.”
The Marshall Street works, which started this week, include the removal of a roundabout, cutting the road, moving it underneath the bridge and relinking it. Road works are expected to take three weeks.
The works are to make way for embankments for the link road from Fowlers Road to Fairwater Drive. The bridge is expected to be finished in 2020.
Ms Di Casare said the road closure had already impacted her business because some customers believed she was closed because they couldn’t access it.
She claims council does not see the value in having a business on a main street and does not believe the value of the property would decline when the road became a dead end.
“The council has the option to help us and it won’t,” she said. “Instead two businesses will be wiped out.
“The council says it is not taking anything away from us and therefore shouldn’t have to give us anything. There is no communication. They aren’t talking to us.
“We are asking the council to do the right thing, be fair and reasonable and keep us employed.”
Murray Rollings, owner of neighbouring business MLR Engineering, said he too felt the road changes would see the end of his business and has decided to put his property on the market.
“I have been at my premises for 18 years,” he said. “Passing trade is important and accounts for 20 to 30 per cent of turnover per month.
“My main concern is the lack of communication between us and the council. It feels like the council does not care about my business.”
Mr Rollings said if council allowed the business to turn around then he would consider staying at his premises.
Wollongong City Council has defended its position to realign the street and explained why the two businesses can not be “turned around” to face the new main road.
A council spokeswoman said a driveway was not possible at this time.
“The land behind CPC Quality Smash Repairs is currently owned by the council,” she said.
“For the council to sell this land we would need to put the parcel to auction. An independent valuation of the land would be carried out prior and the council would also need to have completed a subdivision and planning review.
“Future use of this residual land will be determined once the Fowlers to Fairwater project has been completed in 2020.”
The spokeswoman said the properties could still be accessed and permanent street signage to point to the road change would be installed.
The business owners also criticised the council’s lack of communication.
“The council has been talking with residents, businesses and property owners since 2015 about the Marshall Street deviation,” she said. “This has included the opportunity to meet with staff onsite and during community engagement about the then proposed work.
“Late last year, council staff also visited businesses and residents in properties numbered 30-40 and 33-39 Marshall Street to provide details of the project.”
The spokeswoman said the council had listened to the complaints from the business owners about the confusing road closure signage during construction.
“We will look to install additional signage in the area, and updating the wording on an electronic sign board to reduce the impact of the work on residents and businesses in the area,” she said.
