Car wash planning approval appealed to Bord Pleanala

A DECISION by Wexford County Council to grant planning permission for a car washing operation on a site in Crosstown, has been appealed to An Bord Pleanála.

John Murphy Valeting Ltd of Ferrybank who already has a dry valeting business in the area, applied to open a facility involving the hand washing of cars with power washers.

Gerard Bolan of JA Boland and Sons Ltd informed the Council by letter that the applicant had approval to apply for permission on his premises at Ferrybank, to accompany an existing valeting business.

Planning permission was granted despite objections from two residents in Crosstown and Ferrybank who expressed concern about car washing already being carried out on the site, a negative impact on residential amenity and the operating hours.

Executive planner Niamh Lennon said that having regard to the presence of a long established petrol station on the site and the fact that car wash facilities are normally associated with service stations, along with the location adjoining a busy regional road, she considered that a car wash/valeting business was an acceptable development and expansion for a service station.

Planning permission was granted subject to conditions which included a limit on operating hours from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday and on noise levels. The decision was subsequently appealed to an Bord Pleanála by one of the objecting residents. The case is due to be decided by the appeals board by January 3, 2018.