Albu reduces Ascroft licence
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• Lancashire haulier and market gardener G Ascroft & Sons has been allowed to change its operating centre despite an environmental representation from a relative of the managing director. But North Western LA Martin Alin' rejected its bid to add five vehicles and three trailers to its existing authorisation of 10 vehicles and 12 trailers.
The company was seeking to move from Blackgate Lane, Holmes Tarleton, near Preston, to Higher Lane, Holmes Tarleton.
Managing director Graham Ascroft told a Preston public inquiry that the vehicles were engaged on the delivery of chilled produce to supermarkets. There were six vehicles and eight trailers in possession; the extra vehicles were needed because of a possible increase in work on a contract to supply Tesco in the North of England.
Ascroft agreed that the company had been using Higher Lane without authorisation and that the company's transport manager had left the previous week.
Ascroft's cousin, Albert Ascroft, who lived in Blackgate Lane, complained that since the construction of a new access road through a field next to his bungalow there had been problems with stones flying up as vehicles passed, vibration, noise, and fumes.
West Lancashire District Council had not opposed the application but was invited to give evidence in support of Albert Ascroft's objection. For the council, John Harrison gave evidence about the issue of two planning enforcement notices requiring the company to stop using the land for general haulage and to stop keeping nonagricultural vehicles at the site. If the vehicles were used to carry the company's own produce then it was an agricultural use and planning permission was not required, said Harrison. After hearing that the company was to seek planning permission, Albu cut its licence authorisation to seven vehicles and eight trailers, with a condition that only six vehicles be specified at any one time. He also warned that it had 28 days to employ a new transport manager.