Controversial Toft net washing plans refused

A controversial net washing plant that was proposed to be built at Toft Pier has been refused planning permission by the SIC.

The planning application was updated on Wednesday, 3rd July to reveal that the status of the application had been decided, and the application had been refused.

In the rejection of the application, John Holden, team leader of development management has said: “the proposal is in principle in the wrong place, and not appropriate to the location due to the existing residential uses within close proximity”.

Numerous representations and a petition were received against the plans, which would have seen the industrial net washing facility built next to several Toft residents homes.

The plans have courted controversy since it was revealed that Toft resident Harry Scott-Haylock had not been notified about the site by company SNG Aqua Ltd, despite living opposite the proposed plant.

Hunter Planning had appealed to the planning department on Friday, 28th June to give them an extra two weeks to request further meetings with both the roads department and environmental services, who had both expressed apprehension over the proposal.

The roads department had recommended that the application be rejected.

A petition with 144 signatures from concerned locals was presented to the SIC’s planning department just last month, and it appears that the council have now taken these reservations on board.