Latest news with #CertificateofLawfulness
Press and Journal
7 days ago
- Automotive
- Press and Journal
24-hour Fort William fuel station plans unveiled as 'demand grows'
Lochaber drivers could soon be able to top up their tanks at all hours of the day, thanks to plans for a 24-hour petrol station in Fort William. Motor Fuel Group, operators of Morrisons Petrol Stations, have unveiled plans to increase their opening hours at their store. The station, located off Carmichael Way, is open from 6am until midnight each day. However, bosses say they are eager to extend operations to meet 'growing demand' during the impending summer season. The proposals have been lodged with the Highland Council's planning team, awaiting approval. Bosses are aiming to obtain a Certificate of Lawfulness to increase operations on site. In a statement, a spokesperson from Motor Fuel Group said: 'This application has been submitted to enable us to better support the local community with our offering and to satisfy increases in demand during peak holiday seasons.' The fuel station would be the third of its kind in the Lochaber town. Nearby Esso and Shell garages already operate a 24-hour service. Motor Fuel Group struck a deal with Morrisons in April last year, acquiring 337 of the supermarket's petrol forecourts and another 400 associated sites for £2.5bn. Earlier this year, MFG lodged plans for a drive-thru coffee shop within the grounds of Morrison's supermarket on Millburn Road in Inverness. Councillors placed doubt on the venture over environmental concerns. The council's transport planning team said it had no objection to the principle of a new coffee shop. However, the drive-thru element was a cause for concern.
Western Telegraph
29-05-2025
- Business
- Western Telegraph
Family face Pembrokeshire beach hut council tax premium
In an application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Christopher Evans, of Llangoedmor, sought approval for a Lawful Development Certificate for a beach hut for holiday use only at Argo Fach, Poppit Sands, near Cardigan. The applicant wished to secure a Certificate of Lawfulness for use of the property as a beach hut, in order to seek an exemption from the second homes council tax premium. For a Certificate of Lawfulness to be granted, an applicant must demonstrate that the use has been continuous and without interruption for a period of at least 10 years. Late last year, Pembrokeshire councillors voted to drop the council tax premium on second homes from 200 per cent, effectively a treble rate of council tax, to 150 per cent. Prior to that, second-home owners in the county were charged a 100 per cent (or double rate) premium. An officer report recommending a Lawful Development Certificate be issued said there was no reason to doubt the applicant's claim that the property known as Argo Fach has been in use as a beach hut and not for residential use. It goes on to say that Argo Fach 'an extended wooden beach hut that is very modest in size, scale and facilities,' at the rear of Poppit Sands car park, with its usage going back many years. It adds: 'The application form indicates that the use (as a beach hut) began more than 10 years before the date of the application, in 1954, as a beach hut for family use in the summer. The cover letter discusses the start of use as a beach hut, presumed to be 1954 and most likely arranged by the applicant's father (who was a solicitor) on an assumed 100-year lease.' It says the applicant states that, other than for during childhood and then returning to retire in 2000, he has lived outside of Wales and had little do with the running of the property, which his mother looked after. 'The application states that the property is used when family visit the beach and is occupied for two weeks of the year when family members visit from Essex,' it adds. It concludes: 'Based on [a sworn affidavit], the Authority's recent research, and the submitted evidence, it is reasonably clear that from 1954, the beach hut known as Argo Fach has been in use as a hut to support beach and social activity. The Authority therefore has no reason to doubt what is said in the application.' A Certificate of Lawfulness was issued by park planners.
South Wales Argus
28-04-2025
- Health
- South Wales Argus
Newport planning application re-submitted after refusal
The applicant has applied for a Certificate of Lawfulness of Existing Use for a property on Cardiff Road, Newport, which includes a dental laboratory, two flats, and a two-bed house in multiple occupation (HMO). The application was refused on January 9, 2025, due to insufficient evidence proving continuous use of the property in this manner for over 10 years. Now, the application has been bolstered with additional documents and declarations, aiming to demonstrate the property's continuous mixed use over more than a decade. The property, located opposite the Royal Gwent Hospital, features a dental practice on the ground floor, a two-bed HMO and a self-contained attic flat on the first and attic floors, and a self-contained one-bed flat in the basement, which is accessed from the rear. The application includes statutory declarations from the applicant and a number of current and former tenants, as well as historical documents such as tax forms and telecom letters confirming continuous residential occupation. The property has a planning history dating back to 1996, when permission was granted for the use of a room as a dental laboratory. Further permission was granted in 2012 for the retention and use of the ground floor as a dental laboratory and clinic. The application also includes a site location plan, detailed planning drawings, and photographs to corroborate the internal and external layouts. Supporting statements from various residents have also been included. These are from the resident of the attic flat since 1999, and three previous residents of the basement flat since 2008. The two residents who have both lived in the two-bed HMO since 2002 and 2020 respectively, have also provided supporting statements. The application concludes that sufficient evidence has been provided to satisfy the burden of proof for the grant of a Certificate of Lawfulness. A decision letter is yet to be included in the documents.
