Fears time-warp garage may be about to collapse
AN OLD Derbyshire garage and car dealership abandoned and derelict for more than 20 years is at risk of collapsing and should be demolished.
That is the view of concerned local Ron Pacitas who called the former Jetberg garage, in Castle Road, Castle Gresley, an “eyesore” and called on authorities to act.
The garage closed down in 2002, but many of its second-hand cars were left abandoned to gather dust, wth two remaining to this day.
Mr Pacitas has alerted Derbyshire Police, Derbyshire County Council, South Derbyshire District Council and South Derbyshire MP Heather Wheeler to the potentially dangerous state of the site, and building experts have been brought in to determine whether the premises is structurally unsafe.
If it is found to be dangerous, powers exist to have the structures bulldozed.
Mr Pacitas claims it is now at risk of collapsing, saying: “This place is completely unsafe. When is the council going to do something about it before some gets hurt?”
Back in 2017, there were still nine cars on the forecourt behind locked gates. They included a 1991 Samara J plate, a Rover 820 on sale for £499 sold as seen; a Skoda J reg; an Astra 1986; a Maestro automatic H reg from 1990; a Metro 1986, and a Cavalier from the early 90s. However, now only two remain – a Maestro and the Vauxhall Cavalier – and is now almost hidden away by brambles and weeds.
Mr Pacitas said: “It’s a complete death-trap. The building looks like it’s about to collapse. The building at the rear side looks like it’s about to collapse. It’s completely eroded and leaning.
“Also, the roof structure looks very
RESIDENT URGES AUTHORITIES TO BULLDOZE BUILDING
weak and dangerous. The garage has no fencing around it to stop children going on site. It’s completely exposed. “I’m just trying to let people know before something serious happens.” A South Derbyshire District Council spokesman said: “The council carried out enforcement action at this site in November last year when the owner cleared away overgrown vegetation. “We have reported the site to the Central Building Control Partnership who will investigate if the structure is unsafe and take action as appropriate.”
It was revealed in 2015 that, for the sixth time in 20 years, plans to turn the former garage into 14 homes were given approval by the district council.
Each time, the three-year time limit given for each application has lapsed.
In 2010, it was reported that an application to build 14 homes on the site had been one of the longest-running in the history of the authority.
The first plans to change it to a residential development were approved in 1993, then renewed in 2000.
Since then, the application has been renewed five times and withdrawn once, and the future of the site remains unclear.
Should housing eventually be built, Derbyshire County Council has asked £34,197.03 be donated for three primary school places, as well as £5,400 for library service revenue costs.
This place is completely unsafe. When will council do something about it?
Ron Pacitas