A disused petrol station dubbed an ”eyesore” is set to be redeveloped as a £1m car wash and EV charging hub if planning approval is granted for the site.
Grove Retail, which operates around 30 forecourts, has applied to Renfrewshire council in Scotland to knock down what remains of a defunct forecourt in Johnstone, a town 12 miles to the west of Glasgow.
Rather than rebuild the petrol station, which closed in 2013, Grove intends create an entirely new charging, valeting and convenience hub with four chargepoints capable of charging eight electric cars, as well as a roll-over car wash, two jet washes, an air and water machine, plus a vacuum and fragrance unit. The site will also feature a 4,000 sq-ft Tesco Express, laundrette facilities, parking for 20 cars and a bike rack for eight cycles.
Grove expects the development to create 25 jobs in the local area, while planning documents indicate the redevelopment will cost £1m. The site is currently said by Grove’s planners to be ”an eyesore which has a significant adverse effect on the character and visual appearance of the local area”.
The retailer intends to put a separate planning application in for a MID (main identification) sign, indicating a totem displaying electricity prices for the four chargepoints could be erected.
The plans echo the changes BP made to its Cromwell Road forecourt in West London, where a prominent petrol station was converted into an EV-only charging hub. Additionally, though, Grove’s Scottish proposal also includes full facilities for car valeting, a key area of development and diversification for forecourt operators at present.
