Second attempt to open car showroom on housing estate sparks fury among residents
A second attempt to turn a former furniture store on a housing estate in Wolverhampton into a car showroom has met with a storm of opposition from angry residents.
Proposals to change the use of Ash Beds Direct in Glentworth Gardens, Dunstall Hill, failed to go through in January after objections were raised by homeowners, tenants and all three local councillors.
The unit, which is in the St Peter’s ward, is currently vacant. Miss Zahira Bibi, from Oxley, has submitted new plans to turn the building into a showroom for the sale of new and used cars bought at auction.
Labour councillors Lynne Moran, Obaida Ahmed and Qaiser Azeem all opposed the earlier application.
Councillor Moran said: “The proposal for a car showroom has arisen before, and we know that the residents do not feel that a confined residential area like this is the right spot for this kind of business.
“Inevitably, cars would be parked outside of the building and there would be loading and unloading in an area where families and their children live. The width of the road is not particularly generous and I can well understand the residents’ concerns that this line of business would cause disruption.
“It is a problem though, because this particular unit is very large and it does need occupying. It’s hard to imagine what can work there to justify the floor area – apart from foodstuffs. It was previously a furniture store but I don’t think that proved successful.”
Gemma Taylor, who lives in the flats above the unit, said: “I forwarded my objections to these plans to the council over the weekend. I have also emailed them to the council’s head of planning, Stephen Alexander.
“This development is not needed and I believe it could be quite dangerous. There are problems with the building and have been for years, and I believe that the weight of the cars would damage the unit even more.
“I also have problems with parking on the residents’ car park at the back of the building due to so many vehicles visiting the shops.”
In written correspondence to planners, Richard Taylor of Wolverhampton-based ACP Architects, acting on behalf of Miss Bibi, said: “The building is comprised of three large retail units with apartments above. It was built in the 1980s and has a shared forecourt at the front with shared parking and a shared service yard to the rear.
“This site is located in a mixed residential/retail/industrial environment and there are residential properties above. It is proposed to use the ground floor for the sale of used and new cars bought from auction. There is no intention to sell vehicle recoveries and no vehicle repairs will be undertaken on the site.
“The volume of vehicle movements to and from the site will be the same as for deliveries associated with retail use. No vehicles are to be stored or displayed at the frontage and all vehicles for sale are to be located within the showroom,” he added.
City council planners will make a decision on the application in the near future.
