However, George Town Council general manager John Martin says no off-street car parking spaces have been lost as a result of the works.

Mr Sarich said that when he opened his store in 2014, the council’s planning department told him he needed a minimum of two spots outside the store.

“And then when they wanted to do this intersection, all of a sudden they disappear,” he said.

“We haven’t had any consultation, and they have actually taken somewhere between six to eight car parking spots.”

He said he lost two of his allocated parking spots and another four to six across the road.

But Mr Martin noted that there was never any formalised parking zones in the road reserve, either adjacent to the cafe, or across the other side of the junction.

“If, for example a long truck carrying a D11 chose to park across the road from the café and as a consequence, take all the space, then they could do so legally,” he said.

He said the redevelopment was put in place to improve pedestrian and vehicle safety, creating formalised parking for buses, long vehicles, disabled and standard angle parking.

Mr Sarich asked council for compensation, citing loss of income as a result of the changes.

“Whilst it is recognised that municipal works do have the potential to cause disruption, council does not accept that Mr Sarich’s business is entitled to compensation,” Mr Martin said.

Mr Martin said the junction road works were essentially finished with minor peripheral works to be completed.

Hillwood Area Residents' & Ratepayers' Association president Alf Waters said a majority of Hillwood residents believed the new intersection improved safety.

“The main issue was people on both roads didn’t know who to give way to...some people would be coming out of Leam Road straight through, and not stopping,” he said.