Car wash hours at Antelope Park Bursledon Road, Southampton

What was proposed

The application sought longer car wash hours from Monday to Saturday, while keeping Sunday hours unchanged.

“Proposed development: Variation of condition 4 of planning permission 24/01483/FUL to vary the hours of use of the car wash from Monday to Sunday 08:00 to 18:00 to Monday to Saturday 07:00 to 19:00 and Sunday 08:00 to 18:00.”

Officer report

The site and surroundings

The car wash would occupy part of a retail park car park near residential flats on Linacre Road.

“This application site is a car park located within Antelope Park; a retail park located within the Thornhill ward. It is also situated adjacent to the boundaries of the nearby Sholing ward. The site comprises primarily of a number of commercial units housing retailers and restaurants. The site is accessible from Bursledon Road via Gavan Street.”

“There are a number of residential properties located to the east of the site along Linacre Road comprising of 5/6 storey flat blocks. 3 of these are within 60 metres of the site with one sitting 25 metres away from the site. The remaining 3 are 80+ metres from the site.”

Officer report

Earlier permission and hours

An earlier permission approved the car wash, but the Panel set operating hours at 08:00 to 18:00 every day.

“Originally the applicant proposed operating hours of Monday to Sunday: 07:00 – 19:00 (ie. 1 hour later in the morning and evening than was approved). Officers supported this request for longer hours and recommended these hours favourably to Panel.”

“The applicant has responded by (i) submitting an appeal to the reduced hours condition attached to permission 24/01483/FUL, and (ii) by submitting this application to secure a planning permission for a car wash but with the extended hours (Monday to Saturday). The reduced Sunday trading hours have not been challenged.”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended approval because noise impacts were considered acceptable and the proposed hours matched their earlier recommendation.

“As stated at above, and set out at Appendix 3, the officer recommendation to the Planning Committee on the 1 st April 2025 was to approve the opening hours of 07:00 to 19:00 Monday to Sunday as the proposal would, with mitigation, result in noise levels below the existing level of daytime background noise in the area (49db) for 3 of the 4 closest flat blocks to the site, with the closest site at No’s 48-58 Linacre Road seeing an increase of 1db over the level of…”

“The approved use is not yet in use and, therefor,e no additional information is available to the Local Planning Authority regarding the potential noise impacts of the proposal. Officers again consider that the noise impacts of operating the site remain acceptable and would protect the amenity of neighbouring residential properties notwithstanding the previous decision of the Planning and Rights of Way Panel.”

Officer report

Objections and consultation

Two residents objected, citing noise, while a ward councillor opposed the extended hours and raised concerns about nearby families with young children.

“Consultation Responses and Notification Representations 5.1 Following the receipt of the planning application a publicity exercise in line with department procedures was undertaken which included notifying adjoining and nearby landowners, and erecting a site notice on the 8 th August 2025. At the time of writing the report 2 representations have been received from surrounding residents with objections also raised by their ward Cllr.”

“This application was the subject of a recent planning application where the committee after due consideration amended the hours in recognition of the affect that this proposed business would have on local residents. The proposed business is close to residential flats that houses many families with young children. There were objections received by all 3 ward councillors and residents at the last planning meeting.”

Officer report

Who spoke

The agent and a ward councillor addressed the Panel with the Chair’s permission.

The Panel’s view

Members considered that the existing condition should retain the currently approved operating hours.

“The Panel then considered recommendation that the application be conditionally approved subject to criteria listed in the report. Upon being put to the vote the recommendation was lost.”

“An alternative recommendation was put forward and seconded to refuse the application in accordance with section 73, as members felt the condition should retain the hours currently approved. Upon being put to the vote, the motion to refuse the application was carried.”

Minutes

The decision and reasons

Planning permission was refused because the additional hours would cause unacceptable noise disturbance affecting the health and amenity of neighbouring residents.

“RESOLVED that planning permission be refused for the reasons set out below:”

“The variation to the operating hours as proposed would result in noise disturbance to the residential properties in Linacre Road which would be unacceptable during the additional hours proposed. The proposal therefore would cause an unacceptable level of noise impact thereby affecting the health and amenity of neighbouring occupiers contrary to saved policies SDP1 and SDP16 of the City of Southampton Local Plan Review (2015).”

Minutes