Councillors agree to relax door rule previously imposed on Staffordshire vehicle repair business
Doors can now stay open while work takes place at a vehicle repair and modification business in a former farm building near Eccleshall.
Retrospective permission was given last year for the change of use of the site at Walton Bank, Stafford Road, despite neighbours’ complaints of an increase in noise and light pollution.
Conditions imposed in the consent included keeping roller shutter doors at the unit closed when any work was taking place on cars, and no work to be undertaken outside the unit at any time. But a further application was later made to change the condition.
A report to Stafford Borough Council’s planning committee said: “Unit 5 remains occupied by Roadspeed Developments and the application seeks the retrospective variation of condition 5 to allow for the roller shutter doors at Unit 5 to be kept open while works on cars are being carried out. It is stated that the doors are required to be opened for safety and ventilation reasons.
“The application initially proposed removal of the condition in its entirety. However following comments received by Regulatory Services it is now proposed to vary the condition so the second part of the condition, which prohibits works from being carried out outside of the unit, is retained.”
The borough council received 25 objections to the latest application. Objectors said changing the condition would affect neighbouring residents’ living conditions and there were concerns about the industrial use of the site.
Peter Morgan, who spoke against the application at a planning committee meeting last Wednesday (November 19), said: “Since the date the retrospective permission was granted, the conditions have continued to be flagrantly ignored, with the shutter doors being open during the majority of operating hours. Residents have not seen, or been consulted, on a noise management plan.
“All the current residents of Walton Bank have objected to the application, as have the parish council. As you can imagine, the residents feel badly let down, and if the removal of the condition was granted we would be forced to consider other potential avenues including judicial review.”
Harriet Jones, who spoke in support of the application on Wednesday, said: “In March 2024, my clients submitted a full noise impact assessment, noise management plan and other documents required under the original planning permission, all within the required timescales. Unfortunately, due to an internal administrative error, these documents were mistakenly indexed as high security and were therefore not visible to the parish council or residents during the initial consultation period.
“The site has now been assessed by two separate environmental health officers. The first visit to the site in December last year raised no concerns and he confirmed he was satisfied for the condition to be removed, although he unfortunately left his role before issuing a formal written report.
“The second environmental health officer has since undertaken unannounced visits, taking independent noise readings. On every visit he found noise from the unit was acceptable and noise from the A5013 was equal to or higher than the sound from within the workshop.”
The application had been recommended for approval by planning officers ahead of the meeting. Six committee members voted in favour of approving it, with two against.
