932 Sydney Road, Coburg North VIC 3058

I am the owner of a property on Keady street and I was not notified by council. All home owners/residents should've been notified before public notice announcement. Correspondence should've been sent to my address that council are aware of. Clearly, process has been flawed.

This application should be refused. The last thing Coburg North needs is four corporate drive-through chains—McDonald's, Guzman y Gomez, El Jannah, and 7-Eleven— operating 24 hours on the same block. This would surely violate Clause 22.01 (Neighbourhood Character) due to excessive noise, light spill, and constant activity throughout the night.

This stretch of Sydney Road is already congested. The applicant's own traffic modelling shows the intersection is near capacity, and adding three drive-throughs and a 7-Eleven petrol station will push it past breaking point. Drive-throughs are designed to generate car trips, not foot traffic—they won't support the local retail strip or nearby independent businesses. They'll just add to the congestion.

We are in the middle of a housing crisis. This site sits within walking distance to Merlynston Station and the Route 19 tram corridor—exactly where we need more homes, not more drive-through burger joints. Approving this application means locking in a car-dependent, corporate retail development on land that should be contributing to a more liveable neighbourhood.

Sydney Road's character comes from its independent traders and local businesses, not national chains. This proposal runs counter to what makes Coburg North worth living in.

I am a resident of Keady Street, located close to the proposed fast-food and fuel hub. I understand the role that additional services can play in supporting the local area; however, I would like to raise several practical considerations to ensure that residential amenity is appropriately protected once the development becomes operational, particularly given the proposed 24-hour drive-through use.

Traffic Management
Given the scale of the development and the inclusion of multiple drive-through facilities, I respectfully request that Council ensure:
* Residential streets beyond the immediate site access are not used as informal circulation or exit routes by customers.
* Clear and prominent signage is installed directing all customer traffic back to the main road (Sydney Road).
* Traffic-calming measures (such as signage, line marking, or speed controls) are implemented near the drive-through access on Keady Street, and that similar measures are considered on nearby residential streets should increased traffic be observed following commencement of operations.

Delivery and Service Vehicles
To minimise impacts on surrounding residential streets, I ask that:
* Heavy vehicle access for deliveries and waste collection is restricted to the main road (Sydney Road) and designated commercial access points only.
* Delivery and servicing hours are managed to avoid unnecessary disturbance during late-night or early-morning periods.

Waste Management and Litter Control
Given the nature of fast-food and drive-through operations, I request that a proactive waste and litter management plan be required, including:
* Regular litter collection within the immediate surrounding area (for example, within approximately 200 metres of the site), in addition to on-site waste management.
* Measures to prevent rubbish from being carried into nearby residential streets, parkland, and public spaces.

Noise and Lighting
Given the proposed 24-hour operation of several tenancies, I request that:
* Appropriate acoustic controls are implemented to manage drive-through speaker noise, vehicle activity, and associated operational noise.
* External lighting, including fuel station canopy and car-park lighting, is carefully designed, oriented, and shielded to prevent light spill into nearby residential areas.

Post-Completion Review
Finally, I request that Council consider requiring a post-completion review period (for example, 6–12 months after opening) to assess:
* Actual traffic behaviour within surrounding residential streets
* Noise, litter, and lighting impacts during overnight hours
with a view to implementing additional mitigation measures if required.

Thank you for considering these matters. I appreciate Council’s role in balancing improved local amenity with the protection of established residential neighbourhoods.

Echoing the comments from locals already submitted. There is already a planning permit for the corner of Gaffney and Sydney Road that could add a service station and food outlets. That application should be rejected on the basis of the impact on traffic and green spaces. This application has the same issues and will compound issues if both are approved.

This area is not a shopping strip. It is a major metropolitan road. Sydney Road and surrounding streets regularly slow to a standstill when there are problems with the Western Ring Road or other major routes. The tram stops along this part of Sydney Road are very dangerous for passengers and increased car traffic would put them at greater risk.

We live opposite Doug Hull Playground on Carr St and already see people bring takeaway food and drink to the car park and playground and either dump rubbish or stuff it into overflowing bins. It blows across the park and into residents' yards. Adding a bunch more outlets so close to here will make this problem much worse.

We are blessed with local wildlife including tawny frogmouths, kookaburras and currawongs. Let's not tangle them up in trash and poison them with leftovers.

We would much rather see local businesses and social support services be allowed the opportunity to thrive in this part of Coburg North.

I would also like to raise a further consideration regarding site safety and security, given the proposed 24-hour operation and increased late-night activity associated with fast-food and fuel uses.

While I recognise that the development will include on-site lighting and activity, late-night trading can place additional demands on the management of public safety if not appropriately designed and operated. To help ensure the safety of nearby residents, pedestrians, and visitors, I respectfully request that Council consider the following measures as part of the permit conditions:

* A Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) assessment to inform the final site layout, lighting design, and surveillance measures.
* Installation of CCTV coverage focused on vehicle access points, pedestrian interfaces, and nearby street frontages, including Keady Street and adjoining residential interfaces.
* Adequate, well-designed public realm lighting along Keady Street and surrounding streets to support passive surveillance, without causing light spill into nearby residential properties.
* Clear sightlines and landscaping treatments that avoid creating concealed or poorly visible areas.
* An ongoing security and management plan addressing late-night operations, including response procedures for anti-social behaviour.
* Measures to ensure the Keady Street access functions solely for site entry and exit associated with the development, and does not encourage or facilitate customer traffic using Keady Street as a through-route to the surrounding residential street network, while maintaining normal local access for residents.
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I believe these measures would help ensure the development operates safely and harmoniously alongside the surrounding residential neighbourhood.

Thank you for considering this additional matter.