Puma2Go campaigners are “cautiously optimistic” after they traveled to Perth on Monday to support a Joint Development Assessment Panel hearing at the Supreme Court’s Court of Appeal.
JDAP lodged the appeal in response to a Supreme Court decision, which had previously denied an appeal, after the State Administrative Tribunal supported a controversial petrol station development in Dunsborough.
Developers of the petrol station DCSC Pty Ltd and Puma Energy have been seeking approval for a 24-hour convenience store on Dunn Bay Road.
To bypass town planning laws the application was submitted for a convenience store, rather than a service station - only the convenience store plan happens to feature a six-bay petrol station.
If the development goes ahead it would be the third petrol station situated in Dunsborough’s town centre within 300 metres of each other.
At the Court of Appeal hearing, three judges reserved their decision on whether a third petrol station should be developed on Dunn Bay Road.
A spokesperson for community group Puma2Go said they were impressed with the JDAP lawyer’s argument and were cautiously optimistic they would win the appeal.
The spokesperson said both sides agreed if the appeal was successful it would most likely go back to the SAT and start over again.
“In light of this Puma2Go has called on both the developers, DCSC and Puma to call it a day and stop wasting taxpayers money,” the spokesperson said.