Plans for a car wash have been refused once again because the development would have caused significant noise disturbance to nearby residential properties.

Congleton Autos Ltd, which is located off Newcastle Road, Astbury, is currently used for vehicle repairs, a MOT testing station, and car sales.

The submitted plans were again for the change of use to mixed use comprising of MOT station, car repairs and hand car wash.

As part of the submitted plans, Professional Construct Ltd, were instructed by applicant Mr Shwan Isa, to prepare a noise impact assessment for a proposed car wash.

The opening hours for the proposed car wash were Monday to Saturday (9am to 5pm) and Sundays/Bank Holidays (10am to 4pm).

Proposals at the site included a car wash station, which would contain one set of pressure lance jets to clean vehicles; a valeting bay and at the existing building that would house the motorised pump for the pressure lance jets in order to reduce any noise impacts at nearby residential dwellings.

The proposed car wash station also had 2.2m high barriers; adjacent to each other, running in parallel with Newcastle Road in order to minimise sound transmission to the closest residential properties.

Also submitted in the plans was a second barrier at height of 2.2m running from the existing building to and along the northern boundary of the site in order to reduce sound transmission from the valeting bay to the neighbouring houses.

Congleton Town Council objected to the application citing concerns relating to amenity, noise, highway safety and residential location. There were also eight submitted objections from residents.

A Cheshire East Council planning officer noted that vehicle repairs and MOT's are currently undertaken on an appointment basis, thereby restricting the number of vehicles on the site at any one time, also such work is undertaken inside buildings which contains much of the noise created from repair work.

The planning officer highlighted that car sales do not cause any noise or raise concern. In addition, the current days/hours of car repairs and MOT's is restricted to Monday to Friday and on Saturday mornings – with no use on Saturday afternoons, Sunday's and Bank Holidays.

The planning officer added: "Sundays in particular and Bank Holidays are considered as sensitive days when residents expect to be able to enjoy their homes without disturbance from commercial sources of noise."

However, the planning officer stated that the latest application on the site was similar to previous applications which had been submitted and refused.

The proposal was to introduce a hand car washing facility which would involve the use of hand held jet washers/pressure washers to wash patron's vehicles together with hand held vacuum cleaners for the internal valeting of vehicles.

Whilst the planning officer "appreciated" that a noise impact assessment and a proposal for acoustic screens had been submitted.

It was considered that the proposal for a hand car wash operation would "significantly increase" and "intensify noise impact" to the residents of nearby dwellings from the site – particularly on Saturday afternoons, Sundays and Bank Holidays when residents naturally expect to be able to enjoy their homes and gardens.

Environment Protection advised that the higher levels of noise would be audible and would have an impact on the residential amenity of nearby residents within their homes.

This would be exacerbated during warmer weather months when residents wish to enjoy their garden areas and have house windows in an open position for ventilation and cooling purposes according to Environmental Protection.

Officers determined that the screening proposed would assist, but not negate the noise from certain noise generative sources and would not address the noise as heard by residents within the upper floors of their homes.

The main highway concern was the likelihood of vehicles waiting on the public highway, to enter the site affecting the operation of the A34 Newcastle Road and the nearby priority junction with Padgbury Lane.

The planning officer's report concluded: "The Location Authority considers that the development is unacceptable in principle by virtue of the impact on the residential amenity through environmental disturbance arising from the proposed use."

The application was refused on Monday.