Grove Retail Ltd applied to the council for a change of use of open space at Earnock Service Station in Wellhall Road.

Extensive plans to upgrade a petrol filling station through the installation of a car wash and laundry unit in Hamilton have been put on hold by councillors after concerns were voiced about the facility causing major traffic congestion.

Grove Retail Ltd applied to the council for a change of use of open space at Earnock Service Station in Wellhall Road.

An existing area of vacant ground within the application site is proposed to accommodate two electric vehicle charging bays, two jet wash bays and an air and water bay.

The proposal will also include a 29sq metre extension to the existing retail facility, a laundry unit, four metre-high lighting columns and the erection of a one-metre high boundary fence. The site is situated within an established residential area and relates to an existing petrol filling station.

The proposed development site is located within the Hamilton settlement boundary and is considered to be well connected and situated within a sustainable location which will support local compact living and a 20-minute neighbourhood.

It is also considered to be suitable as the proposal seeks to expand an established use while using an area of vacant ground.

Cllr Mary Donnelly told the Planning Committee: ” I would like to move deferring and a site visit as, looking at comments, the proposals will lead to queues and traffic build-up in Wellhall Road.

“The site is situated between two roundabouts and this will increase noise and air pollution.

“The proposed car parking is inadequate already and this will result in users parking in surrounding streets and this is already an area where it is already hazardous and there are concerns about water run-off on the nearby roads.”

A council official said: “ We are planning to improve junctions for the end of April. There is a full area being constructed for charging points and vacuums and jet washes extension to shop is relatively small. We are quite satisfied that the proposals will work adequately.”

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Cllr Ralph Barker said he was concerned it was in a residential area,

Added Cllr Donnelly: “I take on board the points that you are making and I would be looking for it to come back once those road developments have happened to see if it has taken away the congestion which will appear because there will be footfall.”

A proposal from chair Richard Nelson, seconded by Cllr Gerry Convery to grant the application subject to conditions was defeated by 12 votes to 11 by an amendment from Cllr Donnelly, seconded by Cllr David Shearer, to defer the application to hold a site visit owing to concerns about traffic queueing, parking, water run-off drainage and noise.

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