Screwfix denied permission for Sunday opening in Stone

The retailer, which supplies goods to tradespeople, is moving into three units constructed on land at Stone Business Park and the new store is set to create 12 jobs.

Planning permission was granted to build 18 industrial and warehouse units in 2017 and by the end of 2020 seven units had been constructed.

A condition imposed as part of planning consent restricts operating hours to between 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday and 9am and 5pm on Saturdays, with no opening allowed on Sundays or bank holidays.

Screwfix hoped to increase its trading time at Stone Business Park however and applied for permission to change the permitted opening hours in its three units to between 7am and 8pm Monday to Friday and bank holidays, 7am to 6pm on Saturdays and 9am to 4pm on Sundays.

The proposal was recommended for approval by Stafford Borough Council’s planning officers.

Charlotte Mills, an agent who spoke in support of Screwfix at a planning committee meeting on Wednesday, said the area was already affected by the nearby A34 and other industrial units on the business park.

She added: “A number of Screwfix branches are located within residential areas.

“Screwfix are seeking to vary the hours not only to provide service to tradesmen and opening hours to align with the rest of their portfolio, but seeking to ensure the viability of their proposed business and long-term job security for the staff.

"It would allow them to employ 12 members of staff – four of which would be full-time – and based on experience elsewhere Screwfix anticipate these jobs will be largely filled by local people.

“The variation of the condition would allow the unit to be brought into full productive use, serving the jobbing builder and providing building materials it would not be appropriate to stock in a main town centre location. It will also help reduce commercial vehicle journey miles.”

The extra opening hours were opposed by residents living at nearby Brooms Park – a park home site for over 55s – as well as town councillors.

Borough, county and town councillor Jill Hood called in the application for consideration by the planning committee because of concerns about over-intensification of the development and the affect on neighbours of noise and disturbance.

Brooms Park resident Chrissy Carlin voiced the concerns of her neighbours at Wednesday’s meeting.

She said: “It’s not acceptable. It’s possible the original hours were suggested to get the original application through. The application for extended hours lacks social awareness of the Brooms Park community.

“The impact of noise and disturbance on such a vulnerable community would be substantial. Residents are mainly elderly, with a high proportion of physical and mental disorders, and some have said they no longer want to live – they feel everything is closing in on them.”

Planning committee members went against the officers’ recommendation and voted to refuse consent for the extended opening hours on the grounds of noise and disturbance.

Councillor Marnie Phillips said: “I’m struggling to understand why Screwfix are looking at that site when there are very similar units available already where they could potentially apply for extended hours and would easily be granted them.

“Has the applicant looked at other sites on the industrial estate? It is huge and the majority of the industrial estate has no impact on residents.”