An application had been submitted to Leeds City Council for the car park of the former Midway Public House on Queensway in Yeadon by Mohammad Yaseen, of Toller Park Properties.
The application attracted 35 letters of representation from the public raising concerns about noise and nuisance from the use of the hand car wash; highway safety issues from vehicles accessing and exiting the site; harm to the visual amenity of the site and street; flooding and contamination concerns from run off from the car wash and fears the car wash could attract antisocial behaviour.
Refusing the application, Leeds Planning Department said that “issues raised through the local consultation process have been considered in reaching a recommendation on the proposal”.
A planning report says: “The creation of a hand car wash, with the equipment, screens and other associated paraphernalia will inevitably result in visual clutter that will be harmful to the character and appearance of the street, and which will be an incongruous feature within this predominantly residential street scene.
“As such, it is considered that the hand car wash will result in harm to visual amenity and character to the site and the immediate street scene.”
On the subject of noise the report says: “.. it is considered that the noise and nuisance associated with hand car washes, namely the operation of powered hoses, opening and closing of car doors, vehicles entering and exiting the site together with general noises generated by a commercial use will inevitably have an adverse impact on the residential amenity of the occupants of nearby residents.”
Highway concerns also resulted in the refusal, with planners saying: “It is considered that the development would result in additional traffic and queues extending past the adjacent access road and on to Queensway.
“The use of the pub’s car park could also result in parking and servicing associated with the pub to be displaced externally all to the detriment to highway safety.”
The planning officer added: “In conclusion, it is considered that the hand car wash will result in harm to visual and residential amenity locally together with raising highway safety and drainage issues.
“Given these concerns, it is recommended that planning permission is refused.”