Old Herefordshire petrol station set to be made into home

The building still has old fashioned petrol pumps in the front garden

Plans to turn a building which is claimed to be England's oldest petrol station into a home have been approved.

Herefordshire Council granted Mike and Ashley Clark planning permission to convert Glendore in Turnastone.

They were also given permission to add a single-storey extension, detached garage and new access road.

Among 12 objectors was former Top Gear presenter and ex-racing driver Tiff Needell, who said it should be preserved and "should be a museum."

The building, in Herefordshire's Golden Valley, was first used as a filling station in 1919 and still has old-fashioned pumps in its front garden.

But the Grade II listed building served as a family home for about 100 years before that.

Other people from the motoring world were also among objectors, while others claimed the land would be contaminated from its previous use.

But neighbours Penny Plato and Philip Newton said the property "has been poorly maintained by previous owners the Countryside Regeneration Trust and has now been empty for some time".

They added: "We hope this long overdue renovation work can start without further delay."

Another fellow resident Cynthia Comyn said: "To have two more people who actually intend living here and maintaining a charming old house is a considerable benefit to the village."

A condition with the planning approval is that if any fresh contamination is found at the site during building works, a statement must then be submitted detailing how this is to be dealt with.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.