SENIOR Labour councillors Kate Hollern and Mohammed Khan have won their battle to block planning permission for a car sales lot in their ward.

Aman Ullah Qamar was seeking retrospective permission to use the site in Wensley Road for his Wensley Motors business.

Officials recommended the borough planning committee to approve the application despite the objections from council leader Coun Hollern and adult care boss Coun Khan.

They expressed concerns about traffic on the narrow road, parking, obstruction of a bus route and disturbance to residents.

In December the committee deferred the application for a further site visit despite Tory Coun Alan Cottam has accused the two of ‘playing politics with the planning process’ The application was then heard at another meeting with a second recommendation from planning officers for approval but the councillors rejected it despite a warning from the officers that they be open to appeal and legal challenge.

Committee member Dave Harling, also a Wensley Fold councillor, said he was deeply concerned about the parking and traffic implications of the car lot.

He and other committee members were concerned that the owners’ pitch was chaotic even though they there was a visit on the way.

Coun Cottam supported the rejection of the application on planning grounds but said it should have been refused not deferred at the December meeting.

On the advice of officers, the applications was refused on traffic rather than parking or other grounds.

The owners now have to submit a new amended application, appeal or close the business.

Coun Hollern said: “I am pleased that the application was refused. This is a narrow road and there was a serious risk of traffic congestion, accidents and injury.

“It was the right decision. The owners now need to submit a revised application which meets the committee’s concerns. If they fail to do so the council can take enforcement action.”

Mohammed Tasawar Ghafoor, agent for owner Aman Ullah Qamar, was unavailable for comment.