SAFETY over streetscape.

That’s the attitude of Summer Centre Quality Meats owner Scott Munro.

Mr Munro has dismissed opposition to the proposed demolition of a Hill Street cottage to create a driveway for trucks and service vehicles to access the soon-to-be-redeveloped Summer Centre.

The project proponents, PrimeSpace, need permission to knock down the house at 54 Hill Street before they can carry out the plan.

The idea is to eliminate the potential for members of the public to interact with large delivery vehicles.

“I think it’s good to see a company thinking about safety issues and planning for it so we don’t see another disaster like the Woolworths carpark up here,” Mr Munro said.

“Everyone knows how bad it is down there.

“I’ve had the shop up here for 10 years. I regularly have all my butchers out and about helping distraught mothers look for their kids who have buggered off.

“At the moment, it wouldn’t take much for a kid who has ran away to end up under the back wheels of a semitrailer.

“Having twins you realise how easy it is for a child to dart away and something to go drastically wrong.”

If the cottage is demolished, three-metre-high acoustic walls will shield neighbouring properties from noise and a security gate will be installed to prevent after-hours access.

Hill Street residents are unhappy about the use of their street as a vehicular access point for the shopping centre.

Orange City Council is expected not to support the demolition of the cottage.

The development application is being assessed by council planners.

“God help whoever stops this development just because they don’t want a house to get knocked down,” Mr Munro said.

“If there is an accident and someone is injured or killed, it will be on their conscience forever as far as I’m concerned.”

bevan.shields@rural press.com