A major bus operator has been told it needs planning permission after setting up a temporary depot at a Mansfield business park.

Stagecoach is in the process of demolishing its old depot, and constructing a replacement, at its Mansfield base on Sutton Road.

The development, which was given the go-ahead by the council last October, will support the company’s transition to a fully electric bus fleet.

However, the depot won't be completed until the end of next year so, in the meantime, Stagecoach negotiated a lease to operate from Unit A at the Millennium Business Park on Concorde Way, off Chesterfield Road North (A6191).

placeholder image — A Stagecoach bus in Mansfield.

The site, which includes a large, modern, detached warehouse, spans two acres, or 0.83 hectares, had been vacant for more than a year.

It used to be occupied by Ship It Appliances Ltd, an online kitchen and home retailer that supplies a wide array of branded goods, such as ovens, hobs, extractor hoods, sinks and fridges, to customers across the UK.

On sealing the deal, Stagecoach went ahead and began work on converting the site into the depot during the summer.

But then it received a phone call and subsequent email advice from a planning enforcement officer at Mansfield District Council, pointing out that the change of use required planning permission.

The warehouse unit at the Millennium Business Park in Mansfield, where Stagecoach is hoping to set up a temporary bus depot.

Much of the conversion work was still completed, including storage containers, a walk-around bus-wash bay and a large concrete slab for a 40,000-litre diesel fuel dispenser tank, and the depot duly opened two weeks ago.

But Stagecoach has now submitted a retrospective planning application for the temporary use of the site, complete with full details of its proposals in a statement by agent Vincent Stuart Architecture, also known as MR1 Studio, of West Yorkshire.

The application is for the business park site to "become a functioning bus depot for a maximum period of three years", although Stagecoach expected to be able to leave after 16 months.

It would accommodate a fleet of 80 buses, plus 11 reserve vehicles kept for maintenance and breakdown replacements.

The unit at the Millennium Business Park when it was occupied by Ship It Appliances.

And all of Stagecoach's 217 staff would be based there, including 180 drivers, 31 engineers and six members of management and administrative staff.

Access to the corner plot would be via a 64-space car park for staff at the front and via a service yard for buses at the rear.

The depot would open from 5.30 am to 12 midnight on Mondays to Fridays, 6 am to 8 pm on Saturdays and 8 am to 8 pm on Sundays.

During the course of a standard day, it was expected to generate 415 two-way trips, which amounted to about two per cent of the total daily traffic on the A6191.

The statement pointed out the proposal was "broadly in keeping" with the character of an industrial site. And assessments had shown that it would not have an unacceptable impact on neighbouring businesses with regard to noise or air quality.

The statement concluded: "The primary goal of the scheme is to function as a temporary bus depot, utilising the existing warehouse building for an office, canteen, administration and welfare facilities for staff."

The council's planning officers are currently considering the proposal and have set a deadline date of Thursday, December 10 for a decision or recommendation.

THE details of many planning applications can be found in public notices advertised by local and regional newspapers. To catch up on all the latest public notices, go to https://publicnoticeportal.uk/