Time limit bid on depot fails
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A BID by the West Midland County Council to have the use of an old established haulage depot restricted to a short period, failed at a public inquiry in Birmingham last week.
Railside Haulage Ltd had applied to the West Midland Licensing Authority, A. A. Crabtree, for a new six vehicle licence in substitution of one presently held by Samuel Whitehouse and Sons Ltd, with an operating centre at Railway Street, West Bromwich. The LA was also considering the revocation, suspension or curtailment of the Whitehouse licence.
Norman Carless, for the applicant company, said Whitehouse had carried on a haulage business from the site since 1962.
In 1971 part of the depot had been let to a night trunking operation. This led to complaints from local residents and as a result the company was asked to leave and there• had been no further complaints.
For the County Council, M. G. Habgood said that there was no planning permission for the use of the site as' a haulage depot. The County Council would be satisfied if a licence was granted for a restricted period whilst an application for a certificate of established use was dealt with.
Mr Carless said the application was the result of a reorganisation.
The site would continue to be owned by Whitehouse but the company's licence would be surrendered if the application was granted.
Following a comment from the LA that Whitehouse had not had a very good record, Mr Carless said it had improved substantially.
After examining plans for the operating centre, Mr Crabtree granted a licence for five vehicles for the full term. He said he did not want to get too involved with the planning aspects and the operating. centre appeared to him to be suitable for the purpose.