HEAVY industries including waste facilities and timber mills will be among prohibited uses for a former orchard in East Albury that its owner wants to convert into an industrial sub-division.
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In the latest attempt to secure Albury Council approval, owner Mario Riccardi has altered his plan and eliminated industries considered hazardous or offensive and will open up the entire area on Willowbank and Doctors Points roads to general and light industry.
Agricultural industries will also be permitted with the land re-zoning application expected to be presented to council next month.
Councillors were briefed on the updated plan for a 21-lot sub-division last week with a strong presence of neighbouring residents in attendance at the workshop.
Planning and environment director Michael Keys confirmed the proposed changes.
“We’re trying to ensure we remove the potential for heavy, hazardous and offensive industries,” he said.
“Those that have particular potential to cause impacts and create issues of concerns for neighbouring residents and given the location and context of the adjoining riverine environment.
“We recognise general industry is appropriate and ideally light industry would be the outcome.”
Another concern for residents was increased traffic at the East Street interchange of the freeway and the roundabout at East and Schubach streets.
It was estimated traffic would increase by 6 per cent as a result of the development.
Engineering director Brad Ferris conceded the East Street interchange had limited expansion capability.
“There are some modifications that could be made to make it more efficient,” he said.
“We just need to work through those scenarios and see which ones works and which ones doesn’t impact negatively somewhere else.
“Additional lanes could be introduced that would be clearway or permanently to give some extra lanes along the section between Schubach and the interchange.”