Cootamundra’s Elouera Association are worried a re-alignment to the Yass Road will have negative impact on their pallet manufacturing operation.
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The not-for-profit organisation makes wooden pallets in a factory on the Yass Road, shipping them around the state up to four times a week.
The development of a new service station across from their site has meant plans for a road re-alignment have been drawn up.
The re-alignment is designed to improve safe access for traffic using the service station, and travelling on the Olympic Highway.
The entry to Barnes Street will be re-aligned.
Elouera CEO Allan Young said the re-alignment would cut across the front of their pallet factory, removing a space used to load and unload trucks.
Mr Young said the service station’s development was welcome, however there was no opportunity to discuss the changes which would affect the organisation.
He said surveyors marking out the part of the road earlier last week was the first news they had, before a meeting with Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council.
“We’ve worked well with council for many years, and we don’t want to get in a fight with council,” Mr Young said.
“We’re positive that we can work with each other on suitable outcome.”
Mr Young said while the factory was former aircraft hanger which had been re-assembled on the site, Elouera had made significant investments to improve it.
He said moving the operation to another location would be beyond the organisation’s resources.
The space designated to become a road is where semi-trailers and flatbed trucks are loaded and unloaded.
“This proposed change doesn’t even give us a car park,” Mr Young said.
“What are we supposed to do with a commercial site where you can’t park?” he asked.
Cootamundra-Gundagai Council’s general manager Allen Dwyer said council was committed to working with people affected by realignment of the road.
“We’ll be working with all the neighbours to facilitate some kind of agreement to provide traffic management plans,” Mr Dwyer said.
“We would like to work with all affected residents and businesses.”
Mr Dwyer said the development of a new service station would encourage more developments in Cootamundra in future.
“We want to ensure there’s the best opportunity for further development of that area and Cootamundra,” Mr Dwyer said.
Declan Rurenga
Declan Rurenga was the editor of Griffith's Area News and Leeton's Irrigator until September 2023. Before landing at the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, he reported news in Junee, Wagga Wagga, Orange and Cootamundra.
Declan Rurenga was the editor of Griffith's Area News and Leeton's Irrigator until September 2023. Before landing at the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, he reported news in Junee, Wagga Wagga, Orange and Cootamundra.
