Sharpies waits for centre move
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* Skip-hire operator Ian Sharpies is waiting to see if he will be allowed to move his operating centre, following objections on environmental and repute
grounds by Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council. North Western Deputy LA John Levin has reserved his decision following opposition from the council to Sharpies bid to move his operating centre from Springbank, Audenshaw to The Lodge, Audenshaw. Tameside's assistant borough planning officer Nigel Allen said The Lodge was a Georgian listed building with attractive gardens; he believed it was wholly unsuitable as an operating centre. The passage of two heavy trucks along the access road, which was mostly unmade, would have a detrimental effect on neigh
bouring residents. It was a public footpath and pedestrians would be put in danger.
The council also considered that Sharpies was not of good repute, said Allen . It had twice taken enforcement action because of breaches of the planning regulations. The Waste Regulation Authority had taken action following two breaches of the waste disposal regulations. Allen added that Sharpies had used other people's property without their knowledge or consent. Sharpies had begun operating a waste transfer and skip-hire business in Lower Wharf Street, Ashton, said Allen. Complaints were received from the adjacent ASDA store and it was noticed that waste was falling into the nearby canal.
In April the operation was transferred to Binn Street, Stolybridge. But there was no planning permission and the Waste Regulation Authority was not aware of the Binn Street operation. Sharpies occupied that site without the knowledge or consent of its owners.
Sharpies had failed to get planning permission for Lower Wharf Street, but claimed that the Waste Regulation Authority said he ran a good operation. He advertised for land for waste disposal and was contacted 17 a man who said he had Ian to rent at Binn Street, He made a planning application and it turned out that the land did not belong to the man concerned.
The council had not mentioned it was planning a business park along the access road, or that a new motorway would run alongside The Lodge and would take half of the garden, said Sharpies. No skips or waste were going to be at the Lodge; he just wanted somewhere to pork.