THE PRESS - The trend towards fewer, larger petrol stations has led to another former petrol station site in Christchurch being put up for sale. The property is a former Shell station in Colombo Street, just south of the main railway line where the suburb of Sydenham abuts the central city. The past two years have seen several petrol station sites go up for sale or lease as oil companies have opted for large stations with broad forecourts and shops and cafes attached. Since the Sydenham petrol station closed, the corner site has been used as a car sales yard but is now to be sold by tender later this month. The quarter-hectare site, at 471 Colombo Street, with frontages onto Cass and Sandyford streets has also been the home of Blackwells Holden and, for the past 21 years, the Moore family car dealership. The land is in two titles. Marketing agent Rob Logie, of Simes Limited, says the property would suit another car franchise or dealership, but it may attract a developer who wants to do something new. Logie says the zoning of the land would allow building development of a “significant scale”, particularly for retailing.