A Hunter winery owner says the approval of a service station and fast food outlets next to his Wine Country Drive property is “crazy”.
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Cessnock City Council’s decision to green-light the major development in October has inspired a fight-back from established wine country businesses in recent weeks. Under the plan, the Nulkaba site will become home to a BP service station, with 101 parking spaces, and two unspecified fast food restaurants, with a shared 130-seat dining area.
Ernest Hill Wines owner Ross Wilson said he was surprised to learn about the development.
He said council’s decision to approve the plan was “crazy” and would have a negative impact on the rural aesthetic of the area.
Mr Wilson fears the development will result in visitors overlooking his winery in favour of other establishments.
“Council seems to be infringing on wine country territory,” he said.
“We didn’t think the land was zoned for that sort of development.
“I think we worry about losing the rural landscape of the area. People come from Sydney to the wine country to see a rural landscape.
“They don’t want to see buildings, they don’t want to see service stations – they want to see bush, they want to see kangaroos. I can’t figure it out.”
Nanna Kerr’s Kitchen owner Jimmy Kerr has started a petition on the advocacy website change.org calling for council to reverse its decision.
“We are deeply saddened by this news as we believe that this will greatly affect the rural aesthetic of the region in a way which is not positive,” the petition’s preamble said.
“Cessnock does not need more fast food outlets.”
The petition had 299 signatories as of Sunday afternoon.
A council staff report from October noted that 13 objections were lodged while the plan was on public exhibition, but the concerns raised did not justify refusal.
“Within the vicinity of the site, the rural character is interrupted by highly visual and sporadic commercial uses,” the report noted.
“All of these land uses present dominant visual impacts to the rural character.”