Convenience store plans approved for former Staffordshire car showroom site

The previous building at the Milford Road site had not been in use since 2018 and has now been demolished.

WR Davies, which also owns a neighbouring repair garage, put forward plans to redevelop the old showroom site at Walton on the Hill.

On Wednesday, December 18, Stafford Borough Council’s planning committee granted permission for a convenience store to be built on the land after hearing there had been more than 15 letters submitted in support of the plans.

Rachel Robinson, who spoke in support of the application on Wednesday, said there would be 23 parking spaces for the store, including a disabled parking spaces and electric vehicle charging. She added: “The design is a simple contemporary store and will have a smaller footprint than the previous building.

“It will serve an area of Stafford currently lacking a convenience store to serve everyday needs. It will create up to 18 jobs for local people and contribute to the local economy.”

There were also 14 objections however. Concerns raised included noise, litter, traffic and highway danger. Hugh Barnes, who spoke against the proposals at Wednesday’s meeting, highlighted the site’s close proximity to Walton High School, as well as car transporters accessing the repair garage.

Ward councillor Peter Edgeller called in the application for consideration by the planning committee because of highway issues, design and visual impact and opening hours. He said: “Putting a retail food outlet in Walton is very amenable because there is no other food outlet whatsoever.

“However, this particular site is not really suitable for it. There is somewhere in the region of 1,400 school pupils – what protection is offered for their safety?”

A report to the planning committee stated the highway authority had initially objected to the proposals “on the basis that insufficient information has been provided to demonstrate that the proposal would not adversely impact the surrounding highway network”. Amended plans put forward were later welcomed however.

The report said: “Plans have been amended to show no entry signs either side of the new ramp at the garage repair site leading to Milford Road, to prevent users of the garage repair site entering via the access to the store. The highway authority are satisfied with the proposed arrangement in relation to the adjacent vehicle repair garage, stating the measures will remove the need for car transporters to wait on The Rise, and/or the need for transporters to turn within the site.

“The store is proposed to open between the hours of 7am and 11pm every day. These opening hours are considered reasonable given the type of development as a convenience store.

“It is anticipated that the number of vehicle movements to/from the site will increase given the nature of the proposed use as a food retail unit, and the proposed operating hours. Nevertheless, the former commercial use of the site as a car showroom is acknowledged, and it is not considered additional noise/disturbance resulting from traffic would result to an extent which would warrant refusal of the application.”