Business park seeks planning approval seven years since it opened

A seven-year-old business park where around 40 people are employed has never been granted planning permission, it’s been revealed

Now GH Myers, which owns Poplar Farm on Austendyke Road in Weston Hills, has submitted a retrospective planning application to South Holland District Council to change the use of units on the site from agricultural use to business.

The company has an office on the site, but the rest of the 14 units and other office spaces are rented out to a wide variety of businesses.

The design and access statement that accompanies the application outlines that a similar change of use application was turned down in 2005 while three other change of use applications were submitted and withdrawn between 2004 and 2006.

The council found no evidence to back up an anonymous complaint that the buildings were being used for commercial properties in 2007, the statement says.

The statement continues: “The site and the units are in existence and are no longer suitable for their historic use – the units are in good condition and in a relatively sustainable and accessible location in relation to Spalding and the A16.

“Therefore, it is sensible to seek an alternative and appropriate use for the site.

“The policies require that commercial operations should be able to operate without causing significant harm to the locality, the ongoing operation of the entire site for seven years without complain indicates that this is the case.

“The existing uses have been ongoing since 2012 and the site/occupiers currently employ approx. 40 people – in the context of the rural economy this is a significant rural employer and the refusal of the application would inevitably lead to significant commercial impacts on the tenants and their businesses.”

A decision on the retrospective application is due by January 28.