Fast food behemoth McDonald's is pushing ahead with its plans to build a restaurant at Wongawilli, in the face of fierce opposition from residents.
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Wollongong City Council has received amended plans for the site at the corner of Raven Street and West Dapto Road as the developers seek approval from the Land and Environment Court, the independent local planning panel having knocked back their application last September.
Gone is the service station, but the McDonald's restaurant and drive through remains.
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The plans still include a childcare centre, and now four other commercial tenancies.
The amended plans reduce McDonald's operating hours from 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to 5am to midnight.
The restaurant has been moved to the west, while the shops have shifted to the east, at the corner of Raven Street and West Dapto Road.
The childcare centre, to be situated at the north of the block, is again slated to have 100 places for children.
The two entry and exit driveways open onto West Dapto Road and Raven Street.
The site is zoned for a village centre for the surrounding residential estates; the council's development control plan for West Dapto envisions a "a small convenience centre with a small grocer and some mixed retail shops", including a supermarket.
However, an addendum statement of environmental effects prepared for the developers, lodged this week, said a village centre of this size would not viable, and would fail to meet council objectives for the area.
Instead, the document said, the proposed development included "a variety of land uses that are permissible within the zoning of the land and suitable in terms of achieving a village centre that is likely to thrive".
"The economic and social benefits of the proposal are significant and will have a positive impact on the local community," it said.
The Wongawilli community has been vocal in its opposition to the original plans, especially the McDonald's restaurant.
The fast food outlet remains a concern for residents, who see it as inappropriate and out of character for their neighbourhood.
Alyse Hezemans, her husband and their eight-month-old moved into a home that overlooks the proposed development site just a month ago.
When they bought into the area, Mrs Hezemans said, they were under the assumption a greengrocer and other shops of that nature would be built on the block.
They were unhappy to discover a fast food restaurant was possible.
"We don't think we need it in this area," Mrs Hezemans said, adding there was already a McDonald's at Dapto and a new restaurant at Unanderra.
She said the family moved to the area, nestled under the escarpment, for the natural outlooks and calmer atmosphere.
Pollution was another concern, she said, with the development site beside ponds.
Jeff Lorraine, another resident close to the site, is also opposed.
Mr Lorraine said his issues with the proposal included the traffic the restaurant would generate, the lights of vehicles shining into people's homes at night, and rubbish in the ponds.
While the proposed operating hours have been cut back, he is concerned they could creep back to 24 hours a day after opening.
The new development application documents on exhibition on the council website and open to public submissions until June 8.
The matter will go to a hearing in the Land and Environment Court in July.
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