By Kit Sandeman, Local Democracy Reporter
A car wash which residents have said is ‘noisy’ and has ‘attracted rats’ has been given a temporary extension, meaning it can continue to operate.
One councillor called the decision ‘bloody outrageous’ in a highly-charged meeting of Nottingham City Council’s planning committee.
However the owner of Apollo car wash, in Hucknall Lane, said he has been ‘picked on’ and ‘victimised’ and other car washes in the area are operating without any planning permission at all.
The site, which is on the former Apollo Hotel in Bulwell, was originally given permission as a car wash for three years in August 2013.
This expired in August 2016 but without a further planning application being made, the car wash continued to operate.
Several storage containers, a burger van and a range of vehicles were also being stored on the site without planning permission.
Enforcement action was taken by Nottingham City Council but the site continued to operate.
Neighbours say one person even moved house because of the noise and the number of rats which they say are caused by the car wash
Now business owner Michael Barker has been given a year to clear up the site and has also been told to install acoustic fences to block some of the sound.
But Mr Barker says he has been blamed unfairly.
He said: “I’ve done everything properly but I’m being picked on.
“It’s a family business and the site is always clean as a whistle.
“I’m law abiding but they are trying to blame me for rats – there are absolutely none on my site.”
The car wash was last discussed by the committee in January when permission to continue operation was refused.
Speaking at the meeting, Councillor Malcolm Wood who represents the Bilborough Ward for Labour twice called the application ‘bloody outrageous’.
He said: “I’m absolutely gobsmacked this has come back so quickly.
“I have to say I have no faith in the assurances given by this company; they have been notoriously bad tenants and they have treated neighbours with derision.
“I just find it absolutely lamentable we can be considering this given the committee was unanimous in its rejection of the planning application when it came before.
“Enforcement was ordered and I don’t think that enforcement has really been carried out with any kind of diligence.
“I am really quite disappointed.”
The plans, which include a change in the conditions so the car wash can only start work from 10am at weekends, was approved by nine votes to four.
