OPERATORS of a Barnard Castle petrol station have been urged to come clean over a jet wash station which has left neighbouring residents with nowhere to park.
The station, which has the capacity for three cars, was built on part of Teesdale Service Station, in Prospect Place, operated by Penny Petroleum, which for years has been given over to parking for householders whose homes face onto the station.
Resident Bob Bowman said the jet wash was installed without any consultation.
“The area was closed off to us in May and the jet wash was put in about two months ago,” he said.
The jet wash was installed without planning consent and officials at Penny Petroleum have now submitted an application asking for retrospective permission.
Mr Bowman, who has lived in Prospect Place since 1998, said residents had the right to use the area to park their cars under the terms of a planning agreement from November 1993.
This confirms the provision of six car parking spaces with provision for a footpath to residents’ homes.
“It would have been more appropriate to talk to the residents,” said Mr Bowman.
“I have emailed Penny Petroleum but there has been no reply. I would like to see the parking reinstated. There really is nowhere else.”
Mr Bowman said he was also consulting solicitors and checking his house deeds for any other details about the parking situation.
In the meantime, he is continuing to park at the petrol station but taking care to keep away from customers.
He has also formally objected to the retrospective planning application on the grounds of loss of privacy, road safety, the threat of ground contamination and the lack of anywhere to load and unload goods at his property.
Efforts have been made by the Mercury to contact Penny Petroleum, but the company has not responded.
In its submission, the company points out that in a previous planning application from 2021, when the station was operated the by the Co-op, it was noted by planning officers: “The car park is owned by the Co-op, any agreement for residents to park in this area would be a civil matter between the landowner and the residents concerned and is not a material planning consideration.
“It is suggested that the residents liaise with the Co-op further about this arrangement.
“In a similar regard, rights of access over land are also a civil matter which would need to be agreed between the affected residents and landowner.
“As such these impacts cannot be considered as part of the current planning application.”
The Penny Petroleum application concludes: “The works submitted for retrospective planning approval are meant to add to the existing facilities on site and therefore create a better offer for customers.”
