A WRANGLE which ensued when Barnsley Council refused planning permission for an in-operation car wash has been decided on by a government body.

Wayne Hadfield, who has twice been rejected by the local authority’s planning board despite it being open, lodged his grievance with the Planning Inspectorate, which has the power to overrule the council’s decision.

The businessman sought to turn land at Three T’s Business Park, in Blacker Hill, into a car wash.

Having been rejected initially, revised plans reduced the car wash’s footprint but six letters of objection were still submitted during a public consultation phase before the board opted to side with the refusal again.

However, the Chronicle can reveal that the Planning Inspectorate last week ruled in the council’s favour, throwing out Mr Hadfield’s appeal.

An inspector’s report said: “The car wash is likely to utilise noise-generating equipment such as generators, jet washes and vacuums.

“Furthermore, there would be additional noise from engines and potentially music from vehicles.

“No noise survey has been provided, and limited information regarding the equipment.

“Spray from the jet wash could also cause nuisance to the nearby businesses, including excess water.

“It has been drawn to my attention that the majority of the site boundary is within the council’s ownership.

“Asset management teams have strongly objected to the proposal and consider that it is an inappropriate use of council land, and they would not be willing to sell or lease on this basis.

“In addition, the business park owner of units one to nine highlights that they own six parking spaces included in the area proposed, and that they do not give permission for the appellant to use their land.

“The appellant states that over the last nine months there has not been one occasion of queuing.

“I observed on my site visit that there was a modest number of vehicle movement along Chambers Road, including HGVs associated with the nearby industrial units.

“There were no customers at the car wash so no queues, however an objection comment states that at times cars are waiting on Chambers Road to enter the car wash.

“The highways department have also highlighted queuing as a concern.

“Queuing could result in potential conflicting vehicle movements which would impact the free flow of traffic on the highway and would adversely affect the efficiency of the highway.

“The proposal conflicts with the development plan and the material considerations do not indicate that the appeal should be decided other than in accordance with it.

“Consequently, the appeal does not succeed.”

Since the refusal of the first application the boundary of the site has been reduced - 1,450m2 down to 768m2 - and does not include the area to the west which was previously proposed to accommodate queuing traffic and staff or visitor parking.

However, it’s not the first time Mr Hadfield has been in a planning row with the council, after plans for a 116-space car park on Old Mill Lane were refused several years ago.

A council spokesperson added: “The main points of concern were around increased congestion, reduced highways safety, potential contamination from the site, land ownership and conflict between cars waiting to be washed and vehicles entering.

“It is immediately adjacent to a number of business units and could negatively impact the occupants of those units.

“Furthermore, the current application would encroach onto the neighbouring business park and the objections received highlight that the car wash would negatively impact how they operate their business.

“As such, there is no reasonable expectation that the development could be implemented.”