Garage development stalled by design flaw

A ROW has erupted over the site of the Lancaster-Maserati garage in Sevenoaks after a scheme to redevelop the motor garage into a restaurant and shopping area fell at the final hurdle.

Bob Porritt, a consultant for the site's owner Claverton Holdings, has spent more than a year developing plans for the site with his son Guy.

Permission was granted in October for a change of use for the existing buildings to cafe and retail.

But Sevenoaks District Council has refused an additional planning application for a building providing supporting floor space for toilets, storage and a kitchen area to the existing buildings, which would house a restaurant and shops.

It was turned down because the design was out of keeping with the character and appearance of the street scene and the lack of "adequate space for on-site servicing facilities which would result in vehicles parking on and servicing the site from the highway".

Mr Porritt said he had been liaising with planners about parking before the decision was taken, and he said there was no mention of any problems with design.

He said: "They have emailed us back saying the parking was wrong but they didn't say they didn't like the design.

"They had the opportunity to tell us."

Speaking of why he thought the decision was unfair, he added: "All we are looking for is auxiliary services.

"It's an attractive site, and I don't think the building we proposed was not in keeping with what was already there."

Derelict

He added the site will be empty by the end of the month because the Jardine Motors Group is moving out, leaving a derelict area at the northern gateway of the town.

Mr Porritt has contacted Sevenoaks MP Michael Fallon about the matter and said he had also spoken to one of the Sevenoaks district councillors responsible for the St John's Ward, Cllr Ann Dawson, accusing her of not looking at the plans.

He said: "She said 'the best thing you can do is put an appeal in and another application then you can have two bites of the cherry'.

"But that's not really the best thing because I have wasted an awful lot of time and money to get this done."

Cllr Dawson said she had looked at the plans carefully and had recommended Mr Porritt meet with a planning officer to discuss the way forward.

Sevenoaks District Council spokesman Daniel Whitmarsh said: "A separate planning application for a large single-storey building, with accommodation in its roof, was lodged on the site on December 31, 2009."

He added the applicant did not take up the paid-for pre-application discussion service before the second planning application was submitted to the council.