A council has refused planning permission for expansion plans at a petrol filling station (PFS) over green belt concerns.
The application by EG Group sought consent for the erection of eight EV charging bays consisting of four ultra-rapid EV 350kW charging points shielded by T-shaped EV canopies at Sandy Lodge Service Station at Northwood, Middlesex.
The external site layout of the PFS would also have been rearranged, including the relocation of the compound, bin store, and lockers as well as the installation of a substation and EV feeder.
A planning statement prepared for EG Group by PWA Planning argued that although the proposal was in the green belt its impact would be minimal and any harm would be outweighed by the benefits to the environment through encouraging EV use.
However, in its decision, the council stated the development “would represent an inappropriate form of development, failing to preserve the openness of the green belt and would spread urbanising development within an undeveloped part of the site, conflicting with one of the key purposes of green belts”.
