A service station, at the corner of the New England Highway and Albert Street in Crows Nest, has been approved by consent between the parties in an appeal to the Planning and Environment Court.
Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) Planning and Development Committee Chair Councillor Megan O'Hara Sullivan said the application was lodged with Council in 2017 and refused in 2020 due to concerns regarding flood and water quality impacts.
"During the appeal process, the development was removed from low-lying land at the west of the site and potential flooding and water quality impacts were thoroughly investigated.
"As a result of this work, the approved service station is now on higher ground at the north-east part of the site.
"Flood experts from both Council and the developer agreed that the development 'provides flood immunity to above the Defined Flood Event and is demonstrated to be flood immune in each of the 1% AEP event (1 in 100 flood), January 2011 event, 1% AEP plus climate change event, as well as the 0.5% AEP (1 in 200 flood)'."
The creek beside the service station will be restored to a more natural form, and designed to support endemic fish, along with new riparian plantings to stabilise the banks.
