Landowners behind an application for a fuel station outside Carnoustie have urged locals to support their bid.
Gavin and Yvonne Watson plan to turn a site at the Muirdrum junction on the A92 into a filling station capable of catering for large tankers.
The proposal has received 64 objections from residents and has been recommended for refusal by council officers.
There is no filling station between Broughty Ferry and Arbroath, and the absence of one is badly felt by people in Monifieth and Carnoustie.
Mrs Watson said a major operator is waiting in the wings to move into the site and claimed there was widespread acknowledgement of the need for a fuel station in the Carnoustie area.
”The council are saying that because there are 64 objections then it has to be recommended for refusal, but that is only coming from the village and in some cases there are up to four people in each household making objections,” she said.
”I think a lot of people in Carnoustie would be behind it and certainly speaking to some of the local hauliers, I know they would be too.”
Mrs Watson said she has to travel to Dundee to fill up when she is towing a horse box, adding that some haulage firms have to go as far as Stracathro near Brechin to get fuel due to access issues on forecourts in the county.
The Watsons were previously granted permission for a station just 200 metres away, but the ground proved unsuitable for the housing of the large underground storage tanks required.
In addition to the fuel station application, the family have submitted a proposal for a wind turbine to be erected nearby and are at the public consultation phase for a caravan park development in the area.
Mrs Watson said she suspects residents in Muirdrum are objecting to the petrol station with all three developments in mind but said each site would be separate from the others.
The proposed station would have pumps, a car wash, convenience store and a vacuum.
Residents have submitted their objections in writing to Angus Council, citing increased traffic flow, safety concerns, lights and noise pollution and potential disruption to village and cycle path access, as key issues.
Alan Berg said: ”I moved to the village 25 years ago, one of the main reasons being the view I have from my garden and front door. To build a petrol station in the field would completely destroy the beautiful outlook I have.”
David Watt wrote: ”I object to the proposal of a filling station and shop because I don’t think this development would be sustainable.
”The Asda superstore in Arbroath has been granted permission for a filling station and would likely offer more competitive prices than an independently operated station.
”Please also take into account the fact that Carnoustie has previously had three filling stations that were not suitable and were forced to close.”
Jeff Morgan said: ”I live directly on the crossroad in Muirdrum village and at the moment it is bad enough. Drivers come tearing up to the crossroad well above speed limit and do not slow down sufficiently.
”I feel having the petrol station site will increase the flow of traffic, which will in turn increase the disruption I have to deal with on a daily basis. I also worry about the safety of the residents of Muirdrum the young children and the older communities that we have here.”
The Watsons this week started paper and online petitions in support of their application, which have already attracted a combined total of more than 120 signatures.