Plan to convert car sales garage into shop refused

A Mansfield Woodhouse car sales garage will not be converted into a convenience store after concerns were raised over road safety and its impact on the wider community.

Developers put forward the plans, at 92A Leeming Lane North, and proposed the conversion of Leeming Lane Car Sales into a shop and an extension into the rear forecourt.

But Mansfield District Council’s planning committee rejected the proposals on September 27 after several objections were raised against the plans.

Six residents contacted the council opposing the conversion, suggesting the plan would cause noise pollution, litter, anti-social behaviour and potential “overshadowing” from the rear extension.

Nottinghamshire County Council, the local highways authority, also raised concern over the proposed number of parking bays at the converted store.

Developers planned 10 bays in total, with six bays for customers at the front and a further four for staff at the back.

The front parking area would also have been used for stock deliveries by HGV lorries. However, the county council believed there wouldn’t be space for an HGV lorry if cars were parked in the bays, meaning it could be forced to reverse into the parking area.

Cars would also be either “blocked into spaces or wouldn’t be able to access them” if the lorry was already parked there, leading to an increased risk of on-street parking.

The development was recommended for refusal by Mansfield District Council officers and unanimously voted down by councillors.

A spokesman for the council’s planning department said: “The key issues here are highways safety and the impact on residential amenity.

“In terms of highways safety, the scheme proposes 10 parking spaces in total. This would be for staff and visitors to the store, with six at the front of the property.

“The front would also be used for deliveries, but the local highways authority raised concerns about the conflict of the use of six parking bays by customers during times where there would be deliveries.”

He added: “The other issue is the impact on residential amenity at number 94. The main impact is the projection of the rear extension and the overshadowing impact on adjacent windows.

“For those two reasons the application is recommended refusal.”

Councillor Brian Lohan (Lab), who represents Portland, added: “When I went down there to look, I can understand the refusal of this. It was unsafe.”