Peter Cruickshank represented the London Borough of Bromley in a two-week planning inquiry in August.

A scaffolding company were using a parcel of land to store and distribute scaffolding poles and equipment across south London. The land was next to a local household waste centre, and also next to a primary school and a park.

Local residents were strongly opposed to the scaffolding company’s operations, and over 400 objections were submitted when the company applied for retrospective planning permission. Residential concerns included the arrival and departure of HGV vehicles from the scaffolding depot which particularly coincided with primary school children arriving and leaving school, as well as noise from scaffolding poles clanging together. There were safety concerns raised about HGV drivers overtaking cars queuing to access the household waste centre, by driving on the wrong side of the road.

The Council refused permission and issued an enforcement notice, citing detrimental impacts to residential amenity. The owner of the land appealed both refusals to the Secretary of State. The inquiry (APP/G5180/W/25/3365514) sat for two weeks at the end of August, hearing technical evidence on noise and highway safety.

Peter Cruickshank was instructed by London Borough of Bromley, and called four witnesses who dealt with noise, highways safety, the household waste centre, and planning. It was technical, detailed evidence, with the Appellant instructing a senior silk to advance their case. The Inspector will deliver a decision in writing in due course.