Objections at plans for a car auction site in Wroughton (From Swindon Advertiser)

Objections at plans for a car auction site in Wroughton

8:00pm Monday 17th September 2012 in News By Katie Bond

CONCERNS have been raised by residents and councillors in Wroughton after plans to turn an area of the airfield into a car auction site were submitted.

If the application is approved by Swindon Council, the existing and former Hangar C2 and its grounds will be used for car auctions, with selling days for the general public taking place every Wednesday with the possibility of 120 cars on sale at one time.

During auction days, the existing indoor leisure karting activity would be suspended.

However, a number of concerns have been raised, with Wroughton Parish Council objecting to the application on the grounds of highway safety and traffic due to the poor access to the site and residents objecting to the plans over fears of traffic, light pollution and the fact that the site is visible from Barbury Castle and is within the AONB.

Coun Wayne Crabbe, (Con, Wroughton and Wichelstowe) said: “I am against the plans. My biggest concern is that the traffic will inevitably come up Priors Hill, which is totally unsuitable.

“I am concerned and I am not sure that this is the right use of the site. “I know neighbouring villages also feel strongly about it.”

Resident Amanda Woodhead, who lives off of Priors Hill, said: “My main concern is that there is no appropriate access.

“Priors Hill has no pedestrian walkway and is already a dangerous steep hill. The other road through to the site is full of potholes and isn’t maintained properly.”

Chiseldon Parish Council also objected to the plans, with a number of concerns raised.

The applicant, Alan Read, is the tenant and leaseholder of the site and has been associated with the current use since 2007.

In a design and access statement submitted to the council by Gary Llewellyn, on behalf of Mr Read, he said the applicant acknowledged that the development may cause local concern but is confident that it will be well managed. He said: “The applicant is prepared to accept a temporary planning permission for three years as he considers this will give him sufficient time to set up and become established.

“Today, within the Swindon area, there is no venue which provides the ability to sell cars by auction, the nearest car auctioneers is located at Witney.

“The applicant has considered other sites in the Swindon area and these have been located in the Elgin and Cheney Manor Industrial Estates. These sites were rejected on the basis of being too costly to rent and rate and because they had limited storage space for the cars.

“The application site is ideally suited and located for the submitted proposal in that it includes an existing large building and other facilities, in the form of car parking, cafe and toilets, which means that it can offer significant economies of scale.”

To view the full application, visit http://195.89.201.121/PublicAccess77/tdc/DcApplication/application_detailview.aspx?caseno=M469WMPT04V00