Car wash battles council bid to close it down
BOSS SAYS SITE SHOULD STAY OPEN, DESPITE CONCERNS OVER NOISE
THE boss of a car wash company is appealing against Kirklees Council’s attempt to close it down.
Amir Alnajafi, of Splash Hand Car Wash, which sits on the site of the former police station in Wakefield Road, Moldgreen, is taking action after the council issued an enforcement notice.
This would see the operation permanently closed down and five jobs go.
The council says the use of compressors and other noise-generating plant within the site gives “rise to an unacceptable level of noise that the recently installed timber boundary fence cannot adequately mitigate.
“Owing to the demolition of the brick building that formerly stood on the site, there is now no practical way of reducing noise emissions to an acceptable level.
“It is considered that the use of the site as a car wash will continue to give rise to an unacceptable level of noise disturbance to residential properties adjoining the site.” There are also concerns about how drainage and run-off from the site is controlled.
But planning consultants, HGH Consulting, argue that planning permission for the car wash should be granted.
It says that proposed noise mitigation measures, including acoustic screens, should be sufficient to keep noise levels to an acceptable level.
And, if agreed, the hours of use would be 8.30am to 6pm, Monday-Saturday, and 8.30am to 3pm on Sundays.
The application is for change of use of the former police station to vehicle wash and associated siting of container.
The site has been subject to two planning applications for its use as a car wash.
Planning permission was granted on August 23 last year, subject to conditions, and for a temporary period of one year to August 22 this year.
A second application, similar to the one last year, was refused by the council in August this year.
A planning inspector is now set to -make a decision over the next few months.