ALBURY Council has been cautioned about increased traffic congestion in East Albury if a contentious land re-zoning application is approved.
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A proposal to convert a former orchard near the Murray River into an industrial area will be presented to the council shortly with objectors using a community forum this week to again voice their concerns about traffic, environmental and flooding issues if the plan is approved.
Mario Riccardi wants the land south of Willowbank and Doctors Point roads re-zoned from rural to industrial.
In a bid to allay concerns of nearby residents he has re-configured the site to include a light industrial zone and deleted another portion from the proposal.
But residents remain strongly opposed and claim traffic near the Hume Highway-East Street off-ramp and East Street-Schubach Street roundabout is already straining with existing traffic levels.
"Our concern is amenity and access to our city and this is a disaster waiting to happen," Rainbow Ridge estate resident Mark Norden said.
"Anecdotally it is a problem now and this is not going to fix it.
"I don't know how you are going to, down the track, get East Albury residents into their city.
"If I could give council some advice that after all this is done and dusted legislate so you have a designated buffer zone between residential and industrial and between residential and environmental that cannot be violated."
The council is in talks with NSW Roads and Maritime Services about traffic congestion issues and a roundabout at the Schubach Road-Willowbank Road intersection has also been proposed by Mr Riccardi.
