‘Flawed’ reasons were behind refusal for converting Pinchbeck site

An appeal has been lodged against the ‘flawed’ reasons to refuse planning permission to extend the opening hours of a bathroom showroom.

Nilesh Odedra is fighting against South Holland District Council’s decision to reject his bid for the site in Church Street, Pinchbeck, by lodging an appeal with the planning inspectorate.

The applicant wanted to extend the opening hours of the site to run from 7am to 10pm Monday to Sunday. A separate bid to turn the former Paul Hammond and Sons site into an off licence had also failed.

The council had refused permission on the grounds protecting local residents and on highways safety.

But a planning statement says the reasons were ‘flawed’ as this service would provide an ‘important facility’ for residents and that the council had not provided evidence to prove that the application would affect highways safety.

It states: “It has been demonstrated that the two reasons for refusal of the application cited by the LPA were flawed and in part based upon policy considerations that fell outside the range of material planning issues raised by the specifics of the application itself.

“Furthermore, there are no objections to the proposal from the local highways authority or the council’s environmental protection officer. The inspector is respectfully requested to allow this appeal.”

In arguing its case to overturn the refusal decision, the applicant states that the site has a long commercial history and that it is ‘not unusual’ to find small Class E uses in villages.

It adds: “The extended hours of opening would reduce the need for local residents to travel to the higher order centre by car for services.”

The statement goes onto add that the planners had not sought the views of the highways on the proposal.

It adds: “The LPA has provided no evidence, statistical or otherwise, to substantiate its claim that there would be harm to highway safety.”

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