Petrol station rebuild given the green light
ORIGINAL STATION WITHOUT PERMISSION
PETROL station bosses have been given the green light to rebuild their facility six months after they flattened it without warning or permission.
Kirklees Council planning chiefs ordered work to stop at the Three Nuns Filling Station back in January after unapproved demolition and alterations occurred.
The landmark petrol station at the entry to Mirfield was completely torn down and work to build a larger shop, extended parking area and new electric vehicle charging points began.
But it soon emerged that the owners, Yaqub Patel, had not had received the go-ahead from the authorities.
An extension to the existing shop had been approved but not a complete demolition and rebuild.
An extension to the parking area outside the boundary of the existing premises had also not been approved.
Under orders from enforcement officers, downed tools on January 28 while a new application was submitted and they have been unable to return for the past three months.
Now despite objections from Kirklees councillors
Martyn Bolt and Vivien council workers
Lees-Hamilton, and Mirfield Town Council, the project has been given the thumbs up and work can resume.
It is thought the owners will not face any repercussions for launching into the project without permission as the project has now been declared lawful.
A report for councillors reveals Clr Lees-Hamilton, who also sits on the town council, urged Kirklees Council to refuse the plan on the basis of ‘incorrect or false/misleading details’ given in the original application.
Councillors also said they believe the larger shop will attract more traffic to the already busy roads around Cooper Bridge. But Highways experts said the increase in shop floor space was unlikely to ‘significantly intensify vehicular use, particularly as the retail use will extend the range of existing products, rather than there being any intention to change the nature of products being made available.’
The council report reveals the new shop will actually be slightly smaller than what the old one could have been if the owners had built the extension they had approval for but never implemented.
Planning officials say the loss of the grassed space by the traffic lights for new parking is ‘negligible.’
The site is set to continue to be open 24-hours-a-day, which benefits workers at the adjacent John Cottons bedding factory who work through the night.