Peterborough showground car depot plans rejected

The application for the car depot at the Peterborough showground was voted down at the council meeting on Tuesday

A retrospective planning application for a car depot has been rejected, following complaints about noisy HGVs and "unsafe" road conditions.

The DHL storage and maintenance depot has been operating at the East of England Showground near Peterborough since February.

However, a Peterborough City Council (PCC) planning committee refused the application on Tuesday.

One of the developers said many of the objections were "duplicate" messages.

Ashley Butterfield, head of the AEGP group which was involved in the redevelopment, said as many as 30 objections had come "from a single household".

'Trust broken'

There were 150 objections to the application online, including that lorries accessing the showground created "unpleasant and unsafe" conditions and that road signs had been knocked by passing vehicles.

Liberal Democrat councillor Christian Hogg told the meeting residents and the applicants had been locked in a "David and Goliath" situation.

Independent councillor Julie Steveson said "trust has broken down" between the showground developers and local people.

PCC planning officers had recommended the plans be approved, but with some suggested alterations.

However, the council planning committee voted down the application - made by East of England Showground Services Ltd - by seven votes to four.

The application was for a five-year temporary use by DHL.

Conservative councillor Lindsay Sharp raised concerns at the meeting that the refusal would end up being overturned on appeal.