Residents have slammed a consultation process after a petrol station was given planning permission to be built on their estate’s only access road.
The proposals for a new petrol station at the Sainsbury’s supermarket on Bishopton Road West and Barlborough Avenue in Stockton were approved by Stockton Council with conditions in June this year.
But many residents on the Whitehouse Farm estate, which can only be accessed by Barlborough Avenue, say that they had no idea of the plans until Sainsbury’s made a second application to extend the petrol station’s opening hours.
Mum-of-two Suzanne McKnight, 44, is furious that the council failed to consult with all the residents on the Whitehouse Farm estate and has started collecting signatures for a petition against the building of the petrol station.
She said: “The planning department didn’t advise everyone in the Whitehouse Farm estate about these plans. They only consulted the elderly people who live in the bungalows in Barlborough Avenue.
“But this will affect everyone who lives on the estate. It will cause congestion because there’s only one exit in and out of this estate and it is busy enough. The petrol station is a ridiculous idea. In my opinion, their guidelines were not carried out thoroughly at all.
“Everyone in Whitehouse farm estate is angry about the petrol station and they don’t want it.
“At the moment my neighbour and myself have been collecting signatures on a petition against the petrol station, we have just over 150 against the petrol station being built. I will continue to collect more signatures.”
Angus Race, a resident of Whitehouse Farm, Bishopton Road West, agreed.
He said: “About 97% of residents are opposed to this development on the grounds of increased traffic at an already very busy junction.
“Numerous school and college pupils cross at this point, health visitors ambulances and other emergency services will have great difficulty accessing and exiting the estate.
“I and many others predict grid lock on numerous occasions, and fear there will be possible fatalities in the future.”
A Stockton Council spokesman said: “Consultation on both of these applications has been carried out in line with local planning guidance and has included site notices, letters to residents in the immediate vicinity and details being made available online.
“The recent application to vary the opening hours is currently being assessed and all comments received through the consultation will be taken into account before any decision is made.”
A Sainsbury’s spokesperson said: “After applying for permission, a consultation process was undertaken, and as part of this process local residents were written to.
“Following Stockton Council’s decision to approve the petrol station plans in July 2014, Sainsbury’s decided to submit a further application to vary the petrol station’s opening hours.
“Before this application was submitted, Sainsbury’s wrote to over 300 of the closest residents to let them know about our plans.
“We are delighted that earlier this year Stockton Council’s planning committee voted to approve our plans. We are confident that our current application to vary the petrol station’s opening hours will provide a real boost for the local area, increasing choice, competition and providing a convenient place for local residents to buy their fuel.”
The proposed opening times for the petrol station would see it open from 6am until 11pm Monday to Saturday, and 8am until 8pm on Sunday.
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