Councillors to decide on car sales planning application for local site

COUNCILLORS could approve a retrospective application for a car sales building at a local business when they meet next week.

The greenbelt site near Canwell previously obtained a certificate of lawfulness to operate for lawnmower sales and maintenance.

Now an application has been submitted for the London Road site to be used for car sales.

The application says all cars will be stored off-site and only brought to the facility when a viewing is requested.  This would be by appointment only, with only one taking place at a time. A maximum of six vehicles would be at the site at any one time.

The proposal was called into the planning committee by Cllr Derick Cross, with the plans referred to the committee due to a councillor being a company director of the company.

Canwell Parish Council has objected and called for a full planning application to be made.

The objection says:

“The parish council fears that the volume of visitors to the showroom will be unmanageable for a rural site on a country road. The business, as currently advertised, cannot operate on an appointment-only basis.

“Residents have raised concerns with the parish council about activity at this site. This application lacks transparency and should be refused until such time as a full application can be made for the new building and associated business activities.”

But planning officers at Lichfield District Council have recommended that the application be approved. 

They said:

“The site is located on London Road in a predominantly rural setting. The nearest residential properties are located to the north and south of the site along London Road at a distance that provides a degree of separation from the application building and its access. 

“The proposed use would operate on an appointment-only basis, with a maximum of one at a time and restricted by condition to no more than one per hour. This significantly limits the potential for customer comings and goings and ensures that vehicle movements associated with the use will remain at a modest level.”

The plans will be discussed at a meeting of Lichfield District Council’s planning committee on Monday (3rd November).