Builders Merchants Journal – BMJ Publishing to Builders Merchants and the UK merchanting industry for more than 95 years
Lancashire builders and timber merchants Firwood Timber have lost an appeal for a new site on Formby Industrial Estate.
The company had planned to put in a new branch on the industrial estate but planning officers have rejected it siting one of the main reasons as the fact that it would adversely affect the character and appearance of the surrounding area in Altcar Road. Other issues were proximity to Formby Industrial Estate, and on highway safety grounds of parking, access and other operational space.
The character and appearance issue surrounds the fact the site is on a busy junction and the design of the building does not fit in with its surroundings.
The council believes that additional landscaping of the area with new trees would “help to screen and soften views of the lower part of the building but…would not prevent the proposed building appearing obtrusive, bland and awkwardly located in the site.”
At present the site has a dilapidated bungalow on it and the surrounding buildings include a Tesco store and petrol filling station opposite and large DIY warehouse behind, however, the council argued that that is no reason to develop the site further.
The planners also argued that while vehicles would be able to manoeuvre into the site from the bypass, the size of the site would restrict its storage, stock and vehicle capacity to such an extent as to limit the scope of operation.
Firwood were set up in 1975 and have 11 branches across Lancashire.
