Extension plans for Wrexham showroom car park recommended for refusal amid warning 30 jobs could be lost

Plans to redevelop the car park at a Wrexham car showroom have been recommended for refusal by council officers for a second time, despite warning’s from the business owner that this could lead to future job losses.

Lindop Toyota had submitted proposals to extend the car part at its Bradley site to increase capacity to meet the demand for electric car sales and charging points.

Speaking at a virtual planning meeting in March, owner Steve Hopewell said it was likely that the firm could lose its franchise and close due to being unable to meet Toyota’s capacity standards if the application isn’t given the go ahead.

He added: “We have conducted an exhaustive search for alternative sites in the Wrexham area and there aren’t any.

“Therefore, by mid-2022 at the latest we will receive 24 months’ notice of termination, and that would mean the business would actually close by the summer of 2024 at the latest.”

However the council’s chief planning officer Lawrence Isted recommended the plans were refused, stating that the development had not met the “exceptional circumstances” needed to justify an extension onto green barrier land.

Members of the council’s planning committee agreed to defer a decision on the plans to allow the company to provide evidence to show it had considered alternative sites.

In a report due before the committee next week (Monday September 6) it is noted that details of alternative sites considered and why they have been deemed unsuitable for the development by the applicants had been submitted.

A number of residents and neighbours around the site have since signed a letter in support of the development – with no objections put forward.

However in his report Mr Isted said the recommendation for refusal remains unchanged, stating that “the additional information submitted by the applicant does not address the concerns raised in respect of the principle of development and the impact of the proposal on the openness of the Green Barrier.”

Addressing comments by the applicant on why the extension is needed, Mr Isted said: “The applicant states that five electric vehicle charge points are required to be installed at the site, on the basis that Toyota Great Britain require that the garage have at least four such charge points by 2025.

“Whilst this may be the case, the requirement for the garage to install EV charge points is not a material planning consideration.

“Furthermore, the charge points shown on the submitted site plan would be located outside of the proposed extended parking area. It is not considered to be justification for the extension of the car park.

“The applicant has identified a list of alternative sites within the county borough that are unsuitable.

“TAN 23 states that that there are three questions which must be asked where a Local Planning Authority is considering a planning application which could cause harm to the environment.

“The main body of the report outlines why it is not considered that the proposal meets the relevant tests set out in TAN 23.

“Many of the sites listed by the applicant appear to have been discounted on the basis that they are located too far from the site’s current location, but no reasoning has been given as to why an alternative site should be located in close proximity to the existing site.

“No reasoning has also been given as to what would be considered an acceptable distance from the existing site.

“Nevertheless, even if it was considered that the proposal would meet the alternative sites test, for the reasons outlined above, as well as in the body of the main report and Addendum, the proposal does not meets all of the tests set out in TAN 23 and the harm that would arise to the environment would not be outweighed by any economic and social benefits arising from the proposal.”

The summary states, “The principle of development is not considered to be acceptable and the application is recommended for refusal accordingly. ”

The application will be considered by members of the planning committee at a virtual meeting on Monday September 6 at 4pm.