Councillors have set a plan to deter boy racers as a condition to approving a new industrial estate off Colwick Loop Road.
Developer Chancerygate bought the former Total fuel depot, near the Sainsbury’s Superstore in Colwick, in 2021.
Permission was first granted in January last year to transform the site into an industrial estate featuring a builders’ merchant.
However, the builders’ merchant dropped out, and the entire scheme has since been redesigned to include 19 industrial units due to increased market demand.
The application was discussed during a Gedling Borough Council Planning Committee meeting last week (24).
George Dickins, senior development director for Chancerygate, said: “Since permission was granted the occupier who had intended to occupy the scheme has decided not to take the unit.
“As such the application in front of you today includes a redesign and reconfiguration of that parcel of land and now provides for an additional seven industrial units.
“The scheme will deliver a number of benefits including the redevelopment of previously developed land within a sustainable protected employment area, and the provision of new employment opportunities to benefit the local economy.”
While councillors generally praised the redevelopment of the vacant land, they asked that a plan be drawn up to prevent anti-social driving in the area once the scheme is complete.
Cllr Ruth Strong (Lab) said: “It is of course very good this site will be brought into use with the opportunities for employment and also inclusion of apprenticeship schemes.
“I’m also concerned, with the access from [Colwick] Loop Road and the two entrances now, about security of the site and whether there is a management plan for security to perhaps put gates on these entrances?
“It would be the sort of place which would be wide open at night and we have experience in the past of, for want of a better term, boy racers, and other invasive elements.”
Cllr Sam Smith (Con) added: “We’ve got a similar site to this in Stoke Bardolph which sadly didn’t come with barriers at the start, and it has caused huge issues with anti-social driving and racing at night.
“Barriers are now installed but that comes at a cost later. I would like to see the a condition if it could be done through a management plan.”
Planning officer Nigel Bryan said: “If members felt it appropriate an additional condition could be added in respect of gates on the entrance point.
“I would imagine it would be done in any case.”
The plans were passed unanimously.
