GRANT District Council has ran out of patience with controversial scrap metal dealer Keith Pearson and taken “immediate action” to clean up the roadside outside his Compton quarry.
This follows fears a string of illegally parked truck trailers along Megaw Road could cause a motor accident, with a school bus among the vehicles to frequent the road.
Staff placed stickers warning of looming impoundment of the trailers earlier this week ahead of council contractors potentially moving onto the site this morning.
Mr Pearson has been issued notices to remove six trailers – including one with no wheels – from along the roadside.
Limestone Coast Police have been notified of potential impoundment activities at the site.
When contacted by The Border Watch yesterday, Mr Pearson said he was moving the trailers off the roadside and “shutting down” his business.
Councillors decided to act swiftly following a string of concerns flowing from the South East Automobile Club, which operates across from Mr Pearson’s Megaw Road property.
It is understood school buses, B-doubles, farm vehicles and general motorists use the section of road.
Cr Brad Mann – who moved the motion to take action – urged council to move swiftly and impound the trailers along Megaw Road.
“I would like to see it done straight away. The last thing we want to see is someone having an accident out there and then blame the council for not acting appropriately,” Cr Mann said.
“If we have a school bus get hit and a lot of kids get hurt, people will be looking at us and asking why we did not do something sooner.
“I personally think we should act as quickly as we can.”
The issue remains ongoing in the Environment Resources and Development Court (ERD) with both parties expected to head back to court early next month.
Council revealed it has taken thousands of photographs of the condition of Megaw Road over the past 12 months as evidence for the court.
This latest development follows Mr Pearson being found guilty in the ERD Court last month regarding illegal storage activity on a property in Mount Gambier.
A spokesperson from the automobile club told elected members the club had no objection to a metal recycling facility in the district.
“But our concerns stem from the fact that a number of those activities have spilled onto what we believe to be our land, namely our access driveway,” the spokesperson said.
He said this entrance-way was being used for loading of trucks, trailers and storage.
The club member said there was often so much storage access was limited.
The club spokesperson said visibility of traffic along the stretch of road had been a problem.
“It is quite a busy road and we are concerned of an accident occurring at that entrance,” he told the meeting.
While the club had already undertaken works to the entrance to improve visibility, he said the storage of scrap metal and trailers was heightening the risk.
“We do our best to project an image of a responsible automobile club, but the general appearance there now would put some people in doubt of this,” the club member siad.
“They do not know the ownership of the stuff there and we have had remarks from interstate drivers about how we should change the place to `the junkyard’.
“While this was offered in jest, we did take it seriously given the background what was going on.”
The club spokesperson said the organisation was seeking answers to what rights it had and how council could help.
“We have made several verbal requests to the person concerned about complying with common decency and getting stuff out of there,” he aid.
“But that has not been successful and this point we are at a loss what we can actually do about it.”
Council environmental services director Leith McEvoy said the next court hearing regarding Mr Pearson was scheduled for September 3.
“We know a little bit more when the ERD forms an opinion on the condition of Megaw Road,” he said.
He said the landholder was issued a litter abatement notice in regards to the condition of Megaw Road, which was appealed.
Mr McEvoy said the matter was now heading to a full hearing of the court.
