Great Harwood car sales firm expansion to cost £8,500

Greenlight Motors wants to add the new building at its Park Road, Great Harwood, to consolidate its activities across East Lancashire creating 15 jobs.

It has historically had other sites in Blackburn.

At Hyndburn Council's planning committee meeting last week, the firm was given outline planning permission for the new building provided it signed a 'Section 106' agreement for £8,500 to pay for new green space or open space improvements elsewhere in the borough.

Planning officer Adam Birkett told councillors the land - which the company had bought from the authority - was currently four acres of 'rough grassland'.

Great Harwood councillor Heather Anderson said: "It's an eyesore."

Her Overton ward colleague Cllr Scott Brerton said: "It is low-quality grassland. I can't see any other use for it.

"It would be good to see this business expand."

How the showroom could look A report by Mr Birkett to the meeting said: "The application is brought for consideration of the committee as legal agreement is necessary to secure a financial payment to provide off-site compensation for loss of open space.

"The site lies between York Street to the south and Balfour Street to the north, having a frontage of around 19.5 metres to both.

"To the south, across York Street is the applicant’s motor repair garage, a single-storey workshop building.

"The present proposal is to erect a car showroom together with an open display area.

"The application is in outline with layout, appearance, and landscaping reserved matters.

"The application seeks approval for a new building which will have a car showroom, sales area, ancillary offices and 28 external car sales pitches.

"The site is vacant land that is identified as protected open space.

"Policy requires that consideration is given to off-site compensatory provision where the open space is not considered surplus to requirements.

"The applicant owns no other land in the immediate area that could be put to open space use.

"The only alternative would be to secure a financial contribution.

"A fee of £8,500 would reasonably provide other open space or improvements to the quality of existing open space in Great Harwood to compensate.

"The applicant has indicated agreement to this course of action with the financial contribution to be secured by legal agreement.

"The proposed development would provide an additional beneficial use in this area provided it is carried out in accordance with the recommended 14 conditions and the compensation for loss of the open space."