Mansfield Woodhouse car sales garage to become shop despite road safety concerns

Plans to turn a Mansfield Woodhouse car sales garage into a convenience store have been approved – despite concerns it is an ‘accident waiting to happen’.
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Members of Mansfield Council’s planning committee initially refused permission for the development, at Leeming Car Sales, Leeming Lane North.

The applicant, Leeming Lane Car Sales, plans to turn the existing garage into a shop and extend it into the rear forecourt.

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However, concerns were raised over the potential impact the shop could have on neighbouring properties, with objections including anti-social behaviour, road safety and privacy.

Leeming Car Sales is on the A60 Leeming Lane North, at the junction with Hawthorn Close, Mansfield Woodhouse.Leeming Car Sales is on the A60 Leeming Lane North, at the junction with Hawthorn Close, Mansfield Woodhouse.
Leeming Car Sales is on the A60 Leeming Lane North, at the junction with Hawthorn Close, Mansfield Woodhouse.

Concerns were also raised about the level of parking proposed in the initial plans, with 10 bays promised in total – six at the front and four at the back for staff.

But Nottinghamshire Council, the highways authority, objected after hearing the front parking area would also be used for stock delivery by lorries, stating there would not be enough space for lorries if cars were parked in the bays, leading fears this could lead to lorries being forced to reverse into the parking area and causing cars to be ‘blocked into spaces’.

It was felt this could also increase the risk of on-street parking on nearby Hawthorn Close and the busy A60 at Leeming Lane North.

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Sufficient

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However, the applicant has increased the number of spaces to 15, and amended the rear extension to reduce its impact on neighbours – and the county council believes the extra spaces ‘should be sufficient to cater for demand’.

Now the planning committee has given the scheme the green light.

However, Coun Phil Shields, who represents Netherfield, voted against the plans, saying: “I’ve got reservations about going along with the recommendation just purely based on knowing the A60.

“There’s a shop a bit further along where there’s a bus stop, bollards in the middle of the road, crossings, it just seems to be an accident waiting to happen.

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Coun Martin Wright, member for Holly ward, also raised concerns with parking and road safety, but said his doubts were not enough to refuse the plans.

The new store, which planning documents suggest will be a One Stop, can now go ahead, subject to no further objections being raised against the plans.

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