Anger over Coulsdon MOT site proposal
PLANS to turn a disused site into a seven-day MOT testing and motor repair shop have come under fire from disgruntled residents.
Monza Garage Ltd has submitted a full planning application to Croydon Council to transform their ground at 56-71 Edward Road, Coulsdon, into a Bosch garage.
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Residents at the site in Coulsdon
But residents on Edward Road and nearby Station Approach say they fear the development will bring noise and light pollution, petrol fumes and traffic.
Twenty-one out of 24 responders have opposed the application.
Three petitions have also been passed to the council.
Gemma Perry, who lives with her family on Edward Road, said: "The noise coming out of there will be phenomenal. We are never going to get any time off from it.
"We moved here for the peace and quiet."
Alan Carpenter, also of Edward Road, added: "We are all families here – children and old people.
"I would not have minded a garage, but seven days a week is out of order."
Monza bosses want the 20-car capacity garage to open from 7am to 7pm from Monday to Friday, until 5pm on Saturdays, and from 9am to noon on Sundays.
Residents say they will also oppose a separate Monza application to build a flat on top of the garage for a live-in manager, claiming this would harm the privacy of residents opposite.
Coulsdon West Residents' Association chairman Richard Thurbon has urged Councillor Jeet Bains to push for the application to be dealt with at committee due to the strength of opposition.
A spokesman for Monza's agents said the garage would create 14 jobs and residents' fears were unfounded.
Paul Norris, of Julian Vincent and Co Chartered Surveyors, said garage bosses would install filters on any vehicles outside the building to prevent pollution.
He explained a noise assessment made for the council showed that no noise would be made other than that being produced under the site's current permission.
He added that the site already has approval for unlimited deliveries and vehicles to come and go 24 hours a day.
"[We] see no reason why this site operating as a professional Bosch agency should not provide an acceptable use," Mr Norris added.
11 Comments
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by tbabygib
Sunday, October 09 2011, 2:58PM
“LOL :))”
by Ivor_Shed
Sunday, October 09 2011, 2:55PM
“There is always trade out there - you just have to win it from someone else by offering to do the job quicker, better and cheaper (you lie). That is why there is a merry go round with trade moving from Segas to Seeboard to Scottish power to EDF to Scottish energy to Sainsbury energy (?). Everyone tries to tempt you away by offering a 'Gold' service for 'Brass' money and no doubt Bosch think their name will give people confidence just like Sainsburys hope you believe they are experts in the electricity business. Good luck to them and at least while the business is starting up there will be work for plumbers and electricians and decorators.
...and you don't have to be fed up with your normal place to give in to temptation from elsewhere with promises of greater satisfaction.
But don't tell Mrs.Shed!”
by tbabygib
Sunday, October 09 2011, 1:11PM
“Surely A Giant like Bosch wouldn't sink money into a nonstarter, So there must be trade out there. And as for the customers who are fed up with their normal M.O.T. place, there must be something wrong and the Place needs to buck their ideas up. Wouldn't you say? (knowing you Ivor, you won't) Te He”
by Ivor_Shed
Sunday, October 09 2011, 11:51AM
“tbg - cars have MOTs, cars have services and cars have repairs. The only way to increase trade in England (you can't just look at Croydon) is :
a) if more people have MOTs (either because they keep older cars or because they get frightened of their car being seized and crushed), or
b) if more people have services (either because they worry they aren't following the manufacturer's routine, or because they stop doing the work themselves, or because people are driving more miles - unlikely), or
c) more people crash (because they are having their cars serviced less often?)
I would have thought that people are having less MOTs (and less insurance and Tax because they can't really afford to run a car) and less regular servicing (because they stretch the intervals and generally are doing fewer miles because of the cost of fuel).
I'm sure this garage would get customers, because everyone gets fed up with their existing garage and tries somewhere new, but I reckon the overall market is fixed or shrinking and there is no additional trade. I'm just glad to be in France with 3 cars - no annual road fund tax, MOT every 2 years on one car and not at all on the 'classic' MG or the 'Quad'. All insured and all legal.”
by tbabygib
Sunday, October 09 2011, 11:25AM
“No! Ivor, Have to disagree with you on this, existing places will have their regulars, They will only go else where if the "service" is bad or they feel ripped off. A new place will probably bring new trade. Can't see the harm myself. It's Not like supermarkets where they undercut others.”
by Ivor_Shed
Sunday, October 09 2011, 10:24AM
“tbg - maybe 14 people will get a new job but any work they do will be taking trade away from existing MOT stations and garages - unless this 'extra' garage enables all those people driving around without MOTs to make themselves legal.....
Rather like when a Sainsurys supermarket opens it provides 200 new jobs but 300 people lose their jobs in butchers, bakers, grocers, off licences, florists and chemists.”
by tbabygib
Sunday, October 09 2011, 9:59AM
“How many unemployed people living in that area? How can 21 people, Stop 14 others from working and getting some self respect????? Selfish.........”
by roomster
Sunday, October 09 2011, 9:52AM
“Yes it is probably not a good idea to move close to an established industrial area for "peace and quiet" the planning authority already in place will make it difficult for the council to stop the planning application succeding.”
by Ivor_Shed
Sunday, October 09 2011, 8:52AM
“sorry for the duplication but the message I got back was 'failed'
(I'll only send this the once)”
by Ivor_Shed
Saturday, October 08 2011, 4:25PM
“NIMBYs
"We moved here for the peace and quiet" - trouble is you can't guarantee a disused site will stay disused. Perhaps Monza should start by operating a business that uses the existing permission to have lorries coming and going 24 hours a day - and then offer to change to a garage only open for 12 hours a day. Then the residents would be able to enjoy their astronomy with reduced light pollution.
it's like the people who buy a house backing on to Biggin Hill airfield and then complain about the planes.
We live opposite a large injection moulding plastic factory - nobody draped a sheet over it when we decided to move here (tbg - another clue)”