A company boss wants to keep his fuel depot open after breaching planning control.
Retrospective planning permission is being sought by David Grannum, managing director of Solent Fuels, for a fuel storage depot at a former commercial abattoir.
Following the closure of Isle of Wight Fuels in April 2021, former employee Mr Grannum set up Solent Fuels to keep Island households heated and business supplied, rather than see them rely on mainland suppliers.
Breach of planning control
A suitable fuel storage site was found and created at Park Green Farm, off Forest Road, in Newport.
However, the permission for the farm did not cover fuel storage and had been identified by the Isle of Wight council as a breach of planning control.
A planning statement on behalf of Mr Grannum, by Andrew White Planning Consultancy, said the site had permission to be a civil engineering and general builders storage and operations depot.
Given the storage nature, Mr White said they were under the genuine impression the small depot did not require permission.
Two fuel storage tanks
The planning documents say the continuation of the fuel storage depot does not result in any marked increase in adverse impacts on the character of the surrounding rural landscape, the amenities of the nearest residential property, or on the highway network.
There are two fuel storage tanks that store kerosene, gas oil, white diesel and in the future, bio-fuel.
View the plans
You can view the plans, 22/01320/FUL, on the council’s planning register.
The public consultation runs until 30th September.
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
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