Private taxi hire vehicle proposals for residential property get green light from planning committee

Permission has been given for two private hire taxi vehicles to operate from a residential property in Wrexham.

The council’s planning committee approved plans to allow two private hire vehicles to operate from an address in Ffordd Almer in the Little Acton ward for an initial temporary 12 month period.

It came before this month’s planning committee meeting due to objections the council had received to it.

These objections included concerns about increased danger to road safety, noise of traffic, the potential for a garden outbuilding to be used as an office, cars parked on road; and that neighbouring properties were not consulted.

Outlining the application, planning officer Matthew Phillips said the application was recommended for approval with conditions given the lack of impact it was expected to have.
“Both drivers of the vehicles would be residents of the property so there wouldn’t be other staff visiting the site”, he said.
“There wouldn’t be any rest or waiting facilities, customers visiting the property.”
The council has previously given permission for two private hire vehicles to operate from properties in residential areas.

Each case was considered on its own merits, with particular regard to residential amenity and highway safety.

Permission is normally granted for operate private hire vehicles to operate from a residential property on a temporary 12 month period initially to allow the impact of the business to be assessed on the ground.

Garden Village Cllr Andy Williams (Ind) backed the plans and moved they should be granted.
“I had a very similar application in my ward about six months ago”, he said.
“It drew lots of concerns at the start but it’s turned out to be no different from anybody parking their own car in their own drive.
“It’s merely parking a taxi on somebody’s drive and it’s caused no concerns.”

Ruabon Cllr Dana Davies (Lab) also backed the proposals.
She said: “It’s a new business isn’t it and there’s the potential that if it takes off for the applicant they could be moving into a commercial premises so I’m more than happy to second the recommendations.”

But Llay Cllr Bryan Apsley (Lab) queried claims it would not lead to an increase in vehicle movement from the property.

And he felt that with no restrictions placed on the operating hours, the applicants could effectively operate for 24 hours a day serving calls at any time.

Councillors approved the application for a 12 month period during which further planning permission needs to be sought.
Other conditions with the planning approval are that:

No more than two private hire vehicles shall be operated from the premises at any time
The property shall be used solely as a dwelling and an administrative centre for the private hire operation. There shall be no waiting facilities, booking or driver rest room facilities on site and no customers shall be picked up or dropped off at the property.

By Rory Sheehan – BBC Local Democracy Reporter