Rye BP garage plans refused at appeal

The site where the petrol station would have been built if permission had been granted. SUS-170823-143848001

The plans, to build a 24-hour petrol garage in Udimore Road were originally submitted to Rother District Council in May last year on behalf of BP UK Ltd.

The scheme was refused planning permission by the council in October 2017 and applicants then went to appeal, lodging one in July this year.

But last Thursday (November 22), the Planning Inspectorate announced that the appeal had been dismissed. The appeal hearing was held on September 25.

A report from the planning inspector said the council’s refusal to grant planning permission for the development was due to the effect of the scheme on 174 Udimore Road, Cadborough Oast and Oast House Drive.

The report said: “The council clarified that it considered that the impact on existing occupiers would be from the sources of illumination associated with the scheme.

No 174 Udimore Road would be in close proximity to the site access and also the areas where the canopy and shop building would be located.

“The provision of the petrol filling station would change the character of the site and consequently the relationship of the site to this dwelling.

“Car movements were also raised at the hearing and the light pollution that residents consider would be experienced in nearby dwellings.”

In their original application last year, developers said they looked at a number of potential areas in the town but no other sites could be found in the vicinity.

The council also received more than 70 letters from residents at the time commenting on the plans, most objecting to building on the site.

Concerns were also raised by the High Weald Joint Advisory Committee over the impact on the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

The Rye Neighbourhood Plan (RNP) Steering Group also objected to the plans, saying it believed there were suitable alternative sites within Rye’s development boundary which had not been considered by the developer.