Agenda item

Erection of canopy and retrospective erection of store extension and widening of rear access.

 The Committee considered the report of the Principal Planning Officer regarding an application for the erection of a canopy and retrospective erection of a store extension and widening of rear access at Wheatley Hill Service Station, Durham Road, Wheatley Hill (for copy see file of minutes). Members had visited the site and were familiar with the location.

The Principal Planning Officer gave a detailed presentation on the application which included photographs of the site. 

Councillor M Nicholls, one of the Divisional Members, was unable to attend the meeting but had provided comments.  There was still concern regarding the problems caused by vehicles entering the site from the bypass and leaving by the rear exit and returning to the bypass via South View and Sandwick Terrace.  The bypass had been constructed to reduce traffic in this part of Wheatley Hill, an area where there had been numerous fatalities and he asked the Committee to consider these views.

Mr J Hedley, a local resident, addressed the Committee objecting to the application.  He commented that both the site owners and the County Council were aware of the problem with the entrance/exit from the garage onto the A181 and the owner of the petrol station had decided that heavy goods vehicles leaving the site should exit onto an unclassified road, the quality of which was inferior.  HGVs were travelling along Wingate Lane which had been an accident blackspot before the bypass had been built.  The police had also confirmed that use of the road by large vehicles was inappropriate.

A survey carried out in December showed infrequent use of the road by HGVs however residents had carried out their own survey of unsuitable vehciles and had contacted the owners directly.  Each company had since directed their drivers not to use this route, but with changes in personnel this could not be guaranteed in the future. 

The road surface was not maintained by the County Council and did not benefit from winter maintenance and the use of the rear exit would not be necessary if the garage created a wider turning area to allow HGVs to turn and exit on to the A181.

The Highways Officer responded that the County Council disagreed that use of the road by HGVs was inappropriate; the road was a public highway and any vehicle was permitted to use it.  A survey in December 2013 showed that of 700 vehicles a day using the road, less that 1% had been HGVs.

The County Council had a duty to maintain the road and would repair it if it deteriorated.  The road was regularly assessed by highways inspectors and member of the public were able to report any issues to the Highways Action Line.

From a highways point of view, use of the road was acceptable and the applicant had the appropriate licence to improve the access onto the public highway.

A number of Members queried why the access had been retained following the construction of the bypass and suggested that it should in fact be closed, in response to which the Highways Officer advised that there was a history of accidents at the A181 junction, but not on Durham Road.  The bulk of the traffic using the rear access was local traffic which used the route to avoid having to return to the A181 for a short time before turning into the village.  The benefit of this access was that it removed 700 vehicles per day from an area with a history of accidents.

Councillor Lumsden commented that she could appreciate residents’ concerns, but the route was used by many people to avoid what was a tricky manoeuvre onto the A181.  The route around the garage site was tight, but there was land that could be used to widen it so that HGVs could more easily exit onto the A181.

Councillor Conway echoed Councillor Lumsden’s views, commenting that the route was useful for local traffic. If a height restriction could be imposed, then the problem of HGVs could be resolved.

Councillor Lethbridge agreed that a larger turning area for HGVs within the garage site would be beneficial, with Councillor Clark moving and Councillor Kay seconding deferral of the application until such time as measures to minimise use of the rear exit by HGVs had been explored.

Resolved: That the application be DEFERRED to allow the applicant and Local Planning Authority to consider measures to minimise use of the rear access by HGVs.

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