EAST LONGMEADOW – Construction of a new L.E. Belcher gas station and convenience store at 227 Shaker Road was approved by the Planning Board and is set to begin construction in September.

Director of Planning Robyn MacDonald told Reminder Publications the plans include a 4,500-square-foot building with five gas pumps on what is currently an empty parcel of land.

L.E. Belcher was originally approved a special permit by the Planning Board in June 2015 and came before the board again on May 31 to present changes to the plans.

“They’ve been looking for a co-brand for the convenience store and they’ve made the determination that they are going to run the entire operation themselves,” MacDonald said.

The updated plans included creating additional angling near the gas pumps, she noted.

“There was a lot of space in between allowing a car to be at the pump and someone to come in and pass him,” she added. “You can’t do that anymore.”

Bollards, short vertical cement posts, were added to the designs at the front of the store, MacDonald said.

MacDonald said the entrance to the gas station would be located on Shaker Road, while the exit is placed on Chestnut Street.

“People coming out and taking a right [onto Chestnut Street] will be further away from the rail trail,” she explained. “And the Belcher Corporation is contributing and working with the town to improve the traffic signals at the corner of Shaker and Chestnut.”

MacDonald said the intersection sees heavy traffic on any typical day.

“There’s a lot of people that come in and out of Connecticut,” she noted. “What [L.E. Belcher] believe though is that having a gas station at this end of town, the people who come from Connecticut will use this and stay out of the rotary. We believe that it will improve the traffic flow into the rotary.”

Attorney James Sheils, representing L.E. Belcher, said the company was also approved for a beer and wine license by the Board of Selectmen, prior to the board’s abolishment.

He declined to discuss any other details about the project.  

MacDonald said there are no L.E. Belcher gas stations located in town currently.

She said she anticipates the gas station’s business to be successful.

“The other side of town won’t have to come into the center for gas,” she noted.

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