Wrexham garage owner lodges appeal after being handed planning enforcement notice

THE owner of a garage in Wrexham has lodged an appeal after being reprimanded for replacing a grass bank with hardstanding in order to sell used cars.

Charles Dodman, who runs Smithy View Service Station, was issued with an enforcement notice by officials from Wrexham Council as they said he had not applied for planning permission to make the changes.

The local authority gave him three months from when the document was handed to him in October to restore the land on Chester Road to its original condition.

But Mr Dodman argued he had used it as part of his business for more than 30 years and therefore did not need to seek approval.

He has now launched an appeal in a bid to gain consent for the alterations.

In his submissions to the Planning Inspectorate, he said: “We have had lawful use of this land for over 30 years for all sorts of trades.

“The grey stones have been put down for health and safety reasons to stop slipping since we had to dig the area up for repairs to drains.

“We intend to cover the grey stones with green tarmac to improve the appearance or use green stones.

“We have always had easy on and off access to this area. We are just doing what we have historically done.”

Documents accompanying the appeal show Mr Dodman first contacted the council to set out his intentions for the land in June 2015.

In his correspondence he said he believed permission was not needed as it would improve the area.

However, he was visited by officers in August this year who informed him the work which had been carried out could not be supported.

In the enforcement notice, they said: “It appears to the council that the above breach of planning control has occurred in the last four years.

“The removal of the grass bank and creation of a hardstanding area constitutes an engineering operation which requires planning permission.

“The grassed area formed an important break in the site and the current use has a detrimental impact on its appearance and on the general locality.

“The council does not consider that planning permission should be given as planning conditions could not overcome the objections to the development.”

The appeal will be decided by an inspector appointed by the Welsh Government at a later date.

By Liam Randall – BBC Local Democracy Reporter (more here on the LDR scheme)