Shrewsbury car sales company submits appeal over rejection of 'noisy' workshop

According to the applications, the detached workshop was built between August and November 2023, is used for vehicle maintenance and has allowed for the employment of three full-time members of staff.

The first application was lodged in February 2024 after the council's planning enforcement team advised it was needed in order to regularise the development, but was rejected in April due to the lack of a noise report.

A second application was lodged in September, this time including a noise report, but that too was rejected.

The application attracted concerns from Shropshire Council's Regulatory Services department, who said the building "is, frankly, in the worst location possible for such a development" due to its proximity to neighbours.

They added: "For the neighbouring premises, a commercial garage has opened up (seven days a week) at the bottom of their garden, particularly given the poor construction of the building.

"Noise complaints have already been received from neighbouring residential premises and the owner of the site has been contacted by these residents."

Rejecting the application, a Shropshire Council planning officer wrote: "The retrospective detached car workshop is deemed to have an adverse impact in terms of noise on the amenity of neighbouring residential dwellings, by way of substandard construction, poor siting, proximity to neighbouring properties and the presence of noisy activities occurring in and around the proposed building.

"The resultant harm is not outweighed by the limited economic benefits from the proposal."

Now, a planning appeal with the Government's Planning Inspectorate over the council's decision has been launched.

Final comments from the appellant and the local planning authority are due on March 3, but a decision date has not yet been determined.