Halesowen's Aldermere Service Centre forced to close after complaints

Aldermere Service Centre was given a year to show it could operate from premises in Mount Street without causing problems to residents.

But they complained cars were being parked outside their homes leaving no room for their vehicles.

They also said cars being tested speed down the narrow road and claimed the business operated outside the hours allowed, created noise, and drove vehicles the wrong down the one-way street.

Objector Kerry Brooks said they would not have complained if the planning conditions had been kept.

She said: “We are in favour of local small businesses that operate and comply with restrictions set out to them.

“On this occasion it is clear to see that a business of his nature with increasing work/staff members/vehicles and noise does not belong in a residential street like Mount Street.”

But service manager Chris Bennett, who will lose his job along with another mechanic when the council instruct the garage to close, claimed they were being made “scapegoats”.

He said other businesses in units in Mount Street had caused issues and denied they had parked cars in the road, apart from for a few minutes when customers were due to collect them.

Mr Bennett said: “We don’t speed or drive the wrong way down the road and the latest we have been here is 6.30pm and that’s with the doors shut as we close to the public at 6pm.”

He added the owner Craig Parkes, who worked part time doing administration for the business, would probably use the premises for storing vehicles for his second hand car sales business in Amblecote.

Councillors refused the planning application at Monday’s development control meeting.

Chairman Cllr Qadar Zada said: “This business has been given 12 months to prove it could be neighbourly and it has failed miserably.

“This will put three people out of employment but the onus to put that right is on the business operator, not on this council.”