Residents vow not to give up in industrial site row

Angie Davie said no one would want an industrial storage site "on their doorstep"

The company behind a failed bid to build an industrial storage site on an area of land surrounded by streets in Liverpool plans to appeal against the rejection despite significant backlash from residents.

Peloton Real Estate was refused permission for the site in Garston by Liverpool City Council six months ago, but now hopes to overturn the decision at a planning inquiry later this week.

The site is in an area known locally as Garston-under-the-bridge, an area that had been earmarked for housing until the coronavirus pandemic hit.

Angie Davies, whose home overlooks the site, said: "Who wants to wake up that on their doorstep, the noise pollution, going from 7 to 11 and night."

She said her family had lived on York Street for more than a century, and her message to the company behind the plans was: "Would you like this on your doorstep? Would you like this for your families' future? I think not."

The BBC has contacted the Peloton Real Estate for a response, while Ms Davies has invited them to visit her home during a site visit later this week

Councillor Lucy Williams said there was frustration as the plans had already been rejected

There is only one road in and one road out of Garston, which is in the south Liverpool.

Residents have said the road cannot take any more traffic, and claim the site will see an increase of 1,600 vehicles every day on roads already busy with school traffic from two primary schools and a nursery.

People in the area have said the development will be a "nightmare" and that Garston was a "a residential area, not an industrial area".

Councillor Lucy Williams from Your Party on Liverpool City Council, representing Gartson ward, said the application had already been refused, with at least 1,800 people writing in to object.

She said "I am really surprised that we're back here having to argue the case for the community.

"This isn't an industrial area anymore, it's primarily residential, and we want decisions to reflect that."

Andy Johnson, who moved to the area 15 years ago, said he was sold a dream of more housing not more industrial buildings.

"The air quality in Garston is not great as it is. We do have a set number of air quality monitors and we are monitoring the area.

He said he was hoping that "everyone sees sense, and we get a final no".

"We've been fighting for two-and-a-half years against this."