Garage must close after objection from boy, 11

Bradford Council said the garage on Chapel Street off Little Horton Lane must cease operating

An unauthorised car repair garage which has operated for more than nine years has been refused retrospective permission after an objection from a concerned 11-year-old boy.

The garage on Chapel Street, off Little Horton Lane in Bradford, has been operating since at least 2016, but an application to make the business official was only submitted earlier this year.

At a planning meeting, Bradford Council heard an objection from the boy, who said cars regularly parked on the pavement near the garage, forcing people to walk in the road.

Members voted to refuse the plans due to issues including a lack of adequate off-street parking.

Work to convert the building, which was previously offices, took place without planning permission and in May 2018 an enforcement notice was issued by Bradford Council giving four months to cease its use for vehicle repairs.

But it continued to be used as a garage and earlier this year a retrospective application was submitted by Awar Hussain to try to make the garage use official.

At last week's meeting, the boy's objection said walking to and from school via Chapel Street was "difficult and dangerous" because of cars on the footpath.

"Due to the blocked footpaths I'm putting myself at greater risk," his letter said.

"It makes it impossible for me to safely commute to school."

'Disregard for general rules'

A member of nearby Horton Moravian Church also objected asking why, since the issue was reported by the church in 2016, retrospective permission was only being sought now.

Congregation member Maureen Colbert said on one occasion 12 cars without up-to-date MOTs or road tax were parked outside the church, which she said was often obstructed by vehicles linked to the garage.

She said at one stage a large van was parked outside the church, blocking light for over a month, and church events had been thwarted by vehicles awaiting inspection or being worked on by mechanics.

Meanwhile, highways officers raised road safety concerns and said the business was detrimental to highway safety and residential amenity, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

There were 65 objections in total, versus 58 comments in support - although several of these did not contain any comment other than saying they were supportive.

Committee chair Councillor Sinead Engel said the garage was in "completely the wrong location".

"I don't like the impact on neighbours," she said.

"I don't like the highways safety implications.

"There has been a disregard for general rules. And there is a discrepancy in what we've been told and what is written in legally binding planning documents."

The application said changes were possible to overcome some concerns, and retrospective permission would safeguard two jobs.

Members voted to refuse the plans and the previous enforcement notices remains in place.

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