Resident tells of 'living hell' near controversial garage (From Thurrock Gazette)

Resident tells of 'living hell' near controversial garage

12:41am Friday 7th March 2008

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OPENING hours at a town garage and shop branded as the source of anti-social behaviour are to be cut back after a ruling by Thurrock councillors.

The Total garage in Purfleet Road, Aveley, has been illegally operating 24 hours a day for more than two years becoming a major source of irritation for nearby residents who say it is the focal point for gangs of young people causing trouble.

“Two and a half years ago they started running it 24 hours and since then my life and my family’s life has become hell."

Aveley resident Lee Edwards.

Thursday night's meeting of the Council's planning committee was addressed by resident Lee Edwards who said the garage was creating a "living hell" for its neighbours.

He was speaking on an application by Total UK to officially extend the garage's opening hours, though they was admitted to "inadvertently" running it 24 hours a day without permission.

Mr Edwards said: "I've lived opposite the site for ten years. When I first moved here it was open 7am to 11pm and till ten on Saturdays and Sundays.

"Two and a half years ago they started running it 24 hours and since then my life and my family's life has become hell.

"All you hear all night is destruction of property, screaming and shouting and people being beaten up.

"Total will tell you different but in the last six months alone there have been 30 police call outs. Residents have been verbally and physically assaulted and abused.

"The fact is Total don't care about residents. It's been murder for my family and all the residents who live there."

However Total spokesman Derek Squib told the meeting that things were not as bad as being painted.

He said: "There has been a lot of misrepresentation. This is a site which is well equipped and well run.

"We have CCTV which is available to the police on request. All complaints that are made to us are faithfully recorded and in the last six months we have had just one complaint from a neighbour. There have been no recorded police calls in the last six months."

Mr Squib, who said that the garage had "inadvertently" not applied for planning permission to be open day and night, then said that many local residents, including householders adjacent to the site, had called for 24 hour opening.

"We have a petition from customers and neighbours which has 320 signatures. We have had full co-operation and dialogue with the Council and if we have to close it will be a great loss to the community," he said.

Aveley ward councillor John Cowell told the meeting the garage was the centre of a lot of trouble and anti-social behaviour in the town.

He said: "I've been called out on several occasions, not just one or two, to meet neighbours and see the problems, a lot of which are originating from this garage.

"Most of it is youths who are getting hold of alcohol, not necessarily from the garage. We are not talking one or two youths, but, ten, 12, 15 or sometimes as many as 20 gathering there.

"I have constant complaints of trouble at the garage, going on until two or three or even later in the morning. Up to now I didn't even realise that the garage didn't have permission to be open 24 hours.

"It's a residential area and I hope the committee will reject this plan."

Planning councillor Joy Redsell said: They have been going for two years with no enforcement action which baffles me. We don't need 24 hour opening."

Councillor Barrie Lawrence was in agreement, adding: "The residents that live near to this garage have the right to a good night's sleep."

Councillors voted against the plans and asked officers to instigate enforcement action, though development control officer Brian Priestley warned that it might take time to act, particularly if Total chose to appeal the Council's decision.

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