Take 2: Wagga Oporto plans back before council after traffic concerns

The amended development application for a drive-through Oporto store and a drive through Kickstart cafe at 143 Hammond Avenue on the site of the former Masters building complex are now on public exhibition.

Originally slated for completion this year, the project was pushed back several months after the council raised concerns the proposed new food and drink venues would cause increased traffic congestion at the site.

Oporto is a restaurant franchise offering Portuguese-style chicken burgers, while Kickstart is part of a Canberra-based chain of drive-through cafes.

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The council raised several concerns over the initial DA, including that the traffic study didn't consider other drive-through coffee outlets in the city and that the Oporto building was facing away from the Sturt Highway, leaving a blank wall and loading dock to face commuters.

The council also highlighted the need for multiple exit points and pathways through the site, including pedestrian access from the highway to Oporto.

Managing director of precinct owners Kaipara Property Group, David Hopper, said the amended application, which is on public display until August 22 and can be viewed at Wagga City Council or its website, addresses these concerns.

"We've addressed every single issue that's been raised by council," he said.

"Council asked us for some additional traffic [information], but none of that was to do with us. A lot of their queries were to do with someone else's property and I don't quite understand the logic with that."

Mr Hopper said in contrast to other drive-through businesses in the area, he has a "very big site" with plenty of car parking spaces that can accommodate the new developments.

"We've got internal queuing," he said.

"We could probably put two McDonald's on there and not have any traffic issues.

"All of our modelling also demonstrates that you can get cars in and out very quickly."

Mr Hopper said the council also asked for "improved urban design outcomes, particularly through in-site links to Oporto".

"We've addressed that," he said.

"We've also done some [adjustments] such as the way [the two premises] face and interact with the Sturt Highway."

He said this was in contrast to "a lot of other buildings" in the area that haven't done this, citing a nearby restaurant and cafe.

Mr Hopper said Kickstart will operate quite differently from a traditional drive-through venue, with mobile ordering shaking up the traditional queues.

"People can drive in for a coffee and they don't even need to queue up," he said, adding that staff will come out to serve them instead.

"So the design and operation of the [drive through cafe] is far more advanced than what Wagga is used to."

There's a real demand for Oporto in the city, noting the more than 600 followers of the Bring Oporto to Wagga Wagga Facebook page.

"People have been watching this for such a long time and it's finally very close to being delivered," Mr Hopper said.

Mr Hopper hopes the two new stores will help rejuvenate the precinct.

It comes just days after plans were lodged to install a Kings 4WD Supa Centre in the former Masters site.

The city's second Super Cheap Auto store is also set to open in the centre later this year.

Drive-through coffee shops have become a sore point for many Wagga motorists in recent times, with the council recently announcing plans to improve congestion caused by Fast Lane on Mortimer Place.

Last week, the council's director of infrastructure services, Warren Faulkner, said the situation was "complex" as Fast Lane has been more successful than it anticipated when the development application for that business was approved.

Mr Faulkner said the council would take a closer look at traffic movements and queuing when assessing future development applications for drive-through coffee shops.

"Australia has a love affair with cars, so maybe one of the solutions is to stop driving cars and maybe walk up into coffee shops," he said.

"We've got good data now on the popularity of these types of facilities, [so we will be] making sure there's adequate storage length for vehicles in the future in considering developments."

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