PLANS for the demolition and redevelopment of a Chester petrol station site have finally been granted formal permission.

Back in July 2021, Cheshire West and Chester Council's planning committee voted in favour of the proposal for Moston Service Station on Liverpool Road.

The planning application, submitted in 2020 by Petrogas Group, proposed to demolish the existing petrol station with the removal of all buildings, forecourt pumps, canopy and underground tanks and pipework.

As part of the plans, a new single-storey sales building – including a drive thru-facility and ATM – will be constructed along with four pump islands and a canopy, two underground tanks, petrol interceptor, drainage containment and one electric vehicle charging bay.

There would also be 10 parking spaces created at the redeveloped site.

Although no operator has been confirmed for the drive-thru yet, it is likely to provide coffee and pre-prepared food and would not be offering a fast food service.

A condition prohibits hot food from being made or prepared on site.

However, concerns were raised by the Environment Agency in relation to the risk of contamination during construction works, as the site was near a water course which flows to Chester Zoo.

A subsequent appraisal of the application, in response to the Environment Agency's concerns, has concluded: "Effective management systems will be in place to identify any potential breaches in the system and engineering controls will reduce the risk of any uncontrolled loses to the water environment.

"We consider this demonstrates adequate risk mitigation, in accordance with EA guidance."

In response, the EA said it had withdrawn its objection, but would recommend the addition of a planning condition requiring the submission of a remediation strategy, to deal with the risks associated with contamination of the site in respect of the development.

The EA said such a strategy would not lead to the risk of "unacceptable levels of water pollution".

Under those terms, Cheshire west and Chester Council has, as of July 7, 2022, formally granted planning permission for the redevelopment.

The proposals had been recommended for approval ahead of the July 2021 council planning meeting.

A number of objections had been made in relation to the proposed development by nearby residents.

Among a number of issues raised included concerns over an increase in traffic levels having an adverse impact on the safety of the surrounding highway network, specifically in relation to the potential for queuing on the A41 and the site being used as a ‘cut through’ between Moston Road and Liverpool Road.

Councillor Jill Houlbrook, who called the application in to the planning committee, addressed members to voice her opposition to the proposals and call for refusal.

She said: "As ward member I'd like to thank residents for their thorough resume of objections. The increase in traffic would have an adverse impact on the green belt. It can't be deemed as sustainable.

"Permitting a development to increase car use and in the green belt seems extremely contradictory and perverse to me."

Councillors Norman Wright and Myles Hogg raised points about queueing traffic potentially impacting the road network as a result of the drive-thru and whether there was any way of guaranteeing this would not happen.

Leading principal development officer Paul Parry responded by saying he could never issue a guarantee, but did not believe it would create any significant issues above what is already experienced in the area.

He told the meeting that two to three minutes is "fairly typical" in terms of the waiting time for the type of drive-thru facility it would be.

"Could the drive through lane cope with the expected increase? It can", explained Mr Parry, who added that the layout had been amended to deal with the increase in vehicles.

The triangular site currently comprises a forecourt with a canopy and a total of eight pumps, and a part single, part two-storey building with a shop and concession areas to the front, and workshops to the rear.

There is a redundant car wash located to the side of the building and a working car wash to the rear.

Planning permission was granted back in December 2017 for the demolition of the existing buildings, canopy and removal of fuel tanks and the erection of replacement facilities but was never implemented and had since expired.