Shell gets green light to revamp Pennington garage

A MAJOR revamp of a Pennington petrol station has been approved by New Forest District Council after changes were made, including taking out a proposed car and jet wash.

Shell UK Oil Products Ltd’s proposal will see the Milford Road garage modernised, with the remnants of the departed Thorp Motors used car garage demolished and the existing fuel islands, canopy and sales building torn down and relocated.

The existing access and exit arrangements at the Pennington Cross site, near the roundabout on the main A337 Milford Road in Pennington, will remain unaltered.

As reported in the A&T, the Thorp Motors car sales business closed in February last year after owner Anthony Thorp, who had run it for 20 years, was told his lease would not be renewed.

NFDC said: "Overall, the proportionate reduction of built form on the site, its layout, design and relationship to boundaries with the associated landscaping and tree planting is acceptable and would enhance the visual appearance of the area."

Furthermore, while the current site is “dominated by hard standing with little soft landscaping", it said, the revamp allows "the provision of significant additional areas of landscaping", so should improve the appearance of the site within the street scene.

Planners also noted the removal of the car and jet wash will reduce noise emissions from the site, which will be open from 6.30am-11pm, but added that deliveries will be restricted from 7am-9pm in order to reduce any impact on neighbours.

Ruling on the scheme, NFDC concluded: "The principle of redevelopment is acceptable, and the proposals are appropriate to the site."

The major redevelopment will also see the removal of underground tanks and creation of an electric charging space to the eastern boundary.

Shell has pledged to extend the electric options if there is demand and made provision for six bicycles to be parked on site. It also claimed the scheme will create jobs for local people with flexible working hours, but did not say how many.

Initially, the proposal had a different design and no provision for electric charging points, which attracted objections from residents and Lymington and Pennington Town Council.

As a result, Shell amended the plan, deciding to omit the car and jet wash and incorporate the electric charging – revisions which found favour with the town council.

While one resident was in favour of both schemes, there were 11 objections lodged against the first version and five to the revised one.

The changes involve Shell relocating the sales office from its current western spot to the northern part of the site, behind the forecourt and canopy, and re-orientating it to face Milford Road.

Switching the sales office position means a new bin store and plant enclosure can be placed behind and will not be visible from the road. The site’s built form will reduce by around 100 square metres.