An area of Lake has become ‘ramshackle’ and a ‘sprawl’ and doesn’t have the necessary planning permissions, the Isle of Wight council has said.
Through its planning enforcement notice, the Isle of Wight council is alleging in the last ten years and without planning permission the use of a site in Lake, on Newport Road between Morrisons and Merrie Gardens, has expanded to include a hand car wash; tyre repairs and replacement; self-hire storage containers; importation and storage of sand, gravel, hardcore and other building materials as well as tyres and the storage of domestic waste.
It also alleges a tyre recycling centre has been started and a takeaway opened through a mobile catering unit.
The council also alleges a building was erected in the last four years.
Notice issued to South Wight Rentals
The notice was issued in June to South Wight Rentals and four people – John Kovacik, David Geddes, Karen Geddes and Marcus Prime, and came into effect in July.
The enforcement notice has however been appealed to the Planning Inspectorate for further deliberation as the parties say there are reasons the notice should not stand.
‘Ramshackle’ and ‘sprawling in nature’
The council says the unauthorised uses are ‘ramshackle’ and ‘sprawling in nature’ which results in ‘a jarring site’.
The authority set 13 actions in the enforcement notice which included ceasing the use of the land for the tyre recycling business, takeaway and hand car wash; removing the storage containers; and demolishing the building.
‘Excessive steps’ in ‘short timeframe’
In documents submitted to the Planning Inspectorate on behalf of the four parties, by agents Plan Research, they say it was too late to take action, but some of the steps required to comply with the notice are excessive and needed to be done in too short a timeframe.
The documents also say permission should be granted for what is alleged.
Would end ‘only IW commercially significant tyre disposal service’
In a statement compiled by Plan Research, it says if the parties were to comply with nine of the actions in the notice, it would end the ‘only commercially significant tyre disposal service on the Island’, which supports around 80 per cent of garages and tyre fitters on the Island get rid of their old tyres.
Without the service, the statement says it is likely that large stockpiles of unwanted tyres would accumulate on the Island and more instances of fly-tipping would occur.
Consistent with the last 20 years of motor trade
It says the use of the site as a hand car wash and tyre replacement service is consistent with the last 20 years of motor trade that has taken place there and the self-hire storage containers are compatible with the lawful van and car hire business.
The mention of sand, gravel, hardcore and building materials is not part of the business, the planning agents say, and they are only required for safety reasons to make surfaces level.
They also say there was no domestic waste on site and it has not changed to a takeaway as the small food trailer supports workers and customers.
Outbuilding on site for more than eight and a half years
The wooden outbuilding has been on the site for more than eight and a half years, according to the documents submitted, so it is argued no enforcement action should take place because it is beyond the four-year time limit for enforcement action on structures.
The planning enquiry will take place over the coming months with a decision date not yet determined.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
Image: © Google Maps/Streetview
