• The refusal of a licence on environmental grounds does
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not prevent vehicles from visiting a site so it is often better if a licence is granted. This view was expressed by West Midland Traffic Commissioner John Mervyn Pugh when considering an application by Robert Feakins, trading as Feakins Oil Recoveries, to move the operating centre of his two-vehicle licence from Stourport to Sparum Farm, Stanklyn Lane, Stone, near Kidderminster.
The application was opposed by Wyre Forest District Council. For Feakins, Robert Parry said that in practice the vehicles had been operating from Sparum Farm for some time. He pointed out that Feakins was on 24-hour emergency call-out to deal with oil spillages.
For Wyre Forest, Keith Slipper said it was the council's view that the certificate of lawfulness covering Feakins' business at Sparum Farm did not cover the operation of vehicles from the site, though there was no dispute that vehicles would have to visit it.
Feakins said he had previously operated as many as three vehicles from the site, including an artic. He was currently operating one vehicle but wanted another on the licence in case he needed to hire in at busy periods. He had been using the site for 15 years and he had no intention of doing anything more than he had been doing for many years.
Mervyn Pugh pointed out that if he had to make a decision one of the parties would be unhappy with the result, and perhaps both.
It was agreed that the application would be granted, without prejudice to the planning situation, subject to conditions. These governed parking; restricted vehicle movement to one vehicle in and out a day except in emer gencies; and prohibited maintenance and repair at the site, except in emergencies.