Owner of former Wyevale Garden Centre in Brislington served with enforcement notices over alleged planning breaches

The owner of a former garden centre on a main road into Bristol have been told to remove construction equipment and portable buildings and stop the alleged use of the site as a builder’s and scaffold storage yard.

Planning enforcement notices have been issued by Bristol City Council over the former Wyevale Garden Centre, off the Bath Road in Brislington, following a campaign by local residents and councillors.

Locals say activities, including the chopping down of trees, have taken place without planning permission since the garden centre closed in 2019.

And following investigations, Bristol City Council has served four enforcement notices for the following alleged breaches:

- Formation of a hardstanding

- Use of land for builder’s yard and scaffold storage yard

- Moving and regrading of the land to form earth banks

- Storage of construction plant equipment and portable buildings

The notices require the ceasing of any alleged breach and the removal of any development or items on site.

A council spokesperson also said a further alleged breach was being investigated on the removal of trees and natural vegetation - but a decision had not yet been made, and no comment could be given on the case.

BristolWorld contacted Litt Holdings, whose planning consultants are dealing with the planning enforcement notices for site owners Wyevale Bristol Limited.

Sarah Didcott, from the Brislington-based company, said two of the notices had been agreed upon, while the remaining two were being appealed against, without specifying which notices.

Planning enforcement notices are issued when development or use of land has taken place without planning permission.

They set out a plan to stop the alleged breach, which if not complied with can lead to a fine upon conviction in a court.

Ward councillor for Brislington West, Councillor Andrew Varney, said news of the notices was a relief to the local community which had been concerned over the use of the site since the garden centre closed.

He said: “Part of the land is green belt - it needs protecting, but I’m afraid we’ve seen the land misused and damage caused.

“I’m glad the council has finally stepped in and a three-month time period has been given to the owners to rectify what has been done.”

He added that people were also keen to hear on the outcome of an investigation into the cutting of trees at the site.

Since the garden centre closed, Bristol City Council gave planning permission for a change of use of part of the car park for car sales in 2019.

A year later, plans were refused for hardstanding at the site for ancillary storage, followed by refusal on a proposal for a builder’s yard and scaffold storage yard at the site.

A planning application submitted last June for a scaffold storage yard at the site is still to be decided.

In her statement, Ms Didcott said: “The notices sent to me are being dealt with by our planning consultants for the owner, Wyevale Bristol Limited.

“They relate to ongoing discussions with Bristol City Council regarding the use of the land comprising the Former Wyevale Garden Centre.

“Of the notices, I can confirm that two are the subject of appeals and thus are considered ongoing and not subject to further comment. The remaining twohave been agreed and will be dealt with accordingly.”