A ROW has broken out over a garage owner's plans to install a car wash where his former premises stood.

Colin Stothart's Hare and Hounds Garage, on the corner of Newchurch Road and Four Lane Ends, Stacksteads, dramatically collapsed in front of him on July 21 last year when the 15-tonne digger he was driving struck the corner of the wall demolishing the building.

The garage collapsed like a pack of cards damaging a customers' vehicle which was inside at the time.

Building inspectors said the digger had hit a roof truss which was why the building fell down so easily.

Mr Stothart has since acquired planning permission for a car wash and the site has been cleared ready for the drive through equipment going in.

But Rossendale Council's development services manager Jon Haines said: "The council has written to the owner because he has carried out more work than had been stated in his planning permission.

"We are currently waiting for him to respond and he has not carried out any more work since the letter was sent. We have not served him with a stop notice but if he doesn't respond we may have to serve a notice."

Mr Haines said the council was concerned about deposited material which had not been included on the plans.

Colin also owns garages at the rear of the premises which had been leased to an advertising company but he has now developed them into a new workshop for the Hare and Hounds Garage.

He said he had not received any letter and invited the council to contact him.

Of the collapse, he said: "I just want to put what happened behind me now and forget all about it. I took about six months off trying to get everything sorted out and now I have set the business up at the rear of the former garage.

"People have come back and I can't believe it, I am actually too busy and have too much work!"

He is purchasing the car wash equipment from company Valetmatics and hopes to have that side of the business up and running before Christmas.

Besides the car wash, which should run itself, there will also be tyre pressure machines, vacuum cleaners and drying machines.

Colin has owned the business for 17 years with his wife Teresa.