8:43 am, September 6, 2022
Plans for a new car showroom in Wolverhampton are facing an uphill battle for approval after they were met by strong opposition from local residents and councillors.
Businesswoman Zahira Bibi wants to transform the former home of Ash Beds Direct into a showroom for the sale of new and used cars bought at auction.
However, despite the building currently being vacant, her plans have not pleased locals and have been greeted with a swathe of objections.
The idea was previously rejected in January and, even after changes, does not appear to be popular with those living in the area.
The earlier application was opposed by Labour councillors Lynne Moran, Obaida Ahmed and Qaiser Azeem, the Express and Star reports.
Speaking about the updated plans, Cllr Moran said: ‘The proposal for a car showroom has arisen before, and we know that the residents do not feel that a confined residential area like this is the right spot for this kind of business.
‘Inevitably, cars would be parked outside of the building and there would be loading and unloading in an area where families and their children live.
‘The width of the road is not particularly generous and I can well understand the residents’ concerns that this line of business would cause disruption.
‘It is a problem though, because this particular unit is very large and it does need occupying.
‘It’s hard to imagine what can work there to justify the floor area – apart from foodstuffs. It was previously a furniture store but I don’t think that proved successful.’
Among the neighbours to complain about the proposed showroom is Gemma Taylor, who lives in the flats above the unit.
She said: ‘I forwarded my objections to these plans to the council over the weekend. I have also emailed them to the council’s head of planning, Stephen Alexander.
‘This development is not needed and I believe it could be quite dangerous. There are problems with the building and have been for years, and I believe that the weight of the cars would damage the unit even more.
‘I also have problems with parking on the residents’ car park at the back of the building due to so many vehicles visiting the shops.’
The plans would see the proposed showroom using a shared forecourt at the front as well as shared parking and a shared service yard to the rear, according to Richard Taylor of ACP Architects, which is acting on behalf of Bibi.
He wrote: ‘The building is comprised of [sic] three large retail units with apartments above. It was built in the 1980s and has a shared forecourt at the front with shared parking and a shared service yard to the rear.
‘This site is located in a mixed residential/retail/industrial environment and there are residential properties above. It is proposed to use the ground floor for the sale of used and new cars bought from auction.
‘There is no intention to sell vehicle recoveries and no vehicle repairs will be undertaken on the site.
‘The volume of vehicle movements to and from the site will be the same as for deliveries associated with retail use. No vehicles are to be stored or displayed at the frontage and all vehicles for sale are to be located within the showroom.’
Planners will make a decision on the showroom in the near future.
