Road ban on garaged trucks
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• Existing use certificates for storing vehicles do not cover vehicle operations, ruled South Eastern Licensing Authority Brigadier Michael Turner last week, when he refused a licence application by Durkin & Sons.
The company's application for a licence for six vehicles, including two to be acquired, based at the Crescent Estate, Nursling, Southampton, was opposed by Test Valley Borough Council. There were also environmental representations from four local residents.
Turner said that he accepted there was a significant degree of nuisance in the form of dust, diesel pollution and noise created by vehicles based at the Crescent Estate.
At present, two other operators, P J D Transport and Whitehorn Transport, licensed for a total of 14 vehicles and trailers, albeit with conditions, had operating centres close to that proposed by Durkin & Sons. He was convinced that the granting of a licence for four more vehicles at the site would have a substantial effect on the environment adjacent to the proposed operating centre.
He had considered the planning situation, as this was a new operating centre, though he accepted that the Crescent Estate as a whole contained other existing operating centres. He did not accept the argument that the parking of vehicles overnight came within the existing use certificate which allowed the storage of vehicles.
"Storage", in his opinion, should be seen in its everyday sense as the keeping of vehicles or other equipment at the site until required for use elsewhere. He could not agree the overnight parking of vehicles fell within that definition.
He believed that every area had an "environmental skin". While some HGVs might be tolerated, and some increases approved, there came a point at which that "skin" became full and beyond, and it was unfair to impose extra nuisance on those living in the area.
He felt that the Crescent Estate had reached that point. Overall, he did not think that the matter could be met by conditions.