MFG’s strategy of running a significant proportion of its sites on a 24/7 basis has gained further traction after Sunderland City Council granted permission for a filling station to never close.
The forecourt giant, which has over 1,200 sites in the UK and is owned by US private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, which also owns Morrisons, has consistently appeared on council planning rosters with applications to open sites on a 24/7 basis.
Just two days ago we reported an application had gone in to the local authorities for a South Ayrshire MFG Morrisons forecourt to open 24 hours a day, while similar applications are regularly made by the firm, despite locals sometimes objecting.
This latest success comes after MFG argued that 24/7 opening of the Morrisons forecourt in the Seaburn area of Sunderland should be allowed by default because there are no conditions that stipulate it can’t be kept open around the clock.
The planning documents submitted to Sunderland City Council state: “In the absence of planning applications recorded by the local planning authority the applicant applies for a Certificate of Lawful Development, certifying that proposed 24 hour opening is lawful. The applicant submits there is no evidence to establish that opening hours have been restricted in the process of granting planning permission for the service station.”
This argument is identical to the one recently deployed by MFG when applying for a 24-hour licence from South Ayrshire Council.
