ALT wins its renewal
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• West Midlands Licensing Authority John Mervyn Pugh, has renewed the licence held by Ian Turner, trading as Andy Lee Transport, despite objections from Stoke-on-Trent City Council on the grounds that it had issued a planning enforcement notice in relation to Turner's operating centre.
Turner is seeking renewal of his licence in respect of six vehicles and four trailers based at Longton Road, Trentham. After hearing that plans to increase the number of trailers have been dropped, Mervyn Pugh said that his hands were tied as far as the planning situation was concerned as this was an existing operating centre and there was now no material change.
Simon Exley, for the city council, wished to continue with the objection on environmental grounds. He agreed that the site had been granted planning permission in 1981 for use as a coach depot for 14 coaches and that there had been no complaints about the coach company's operations. Since Turner had moved in, however, there had been numerous complaints from residents about vehicles starting up at unsocial hours. The residents were not before the LA as they had misunderstood the procedure.
For Turner, John Hacking said the objection was a planning one. When Turner moved in he informed the council and it wrote to say it had no objection. The subsequent enforcement had been appealed against and a decision was awaited. All these matters had been covered at the planning enquiry and the hours of operation might well be the subject of planning conditions.
Exley reported that residents had made strong representations at the planning enquiry, but Mervyn Pugh said they had not made any to him. The council's objection could not get off the ground without evidence and therefore must fall by the wayside.
Turner has been seeking renewal of his licence in respect of six vehicles and four trailers based at Longton Road, Trentham. After hearing that plans to increase the number of trailers have been dropped, Mervyn Pugh said that his hands were tied as far as the .planning situation was concerned, as this was an existing operating centre.