Powys bus company's expansion plans refused by council

An application seeking planning permission to demolish two buildings on the edge of Machynlleth to provide “much needed parking” for Lloyds Coaches has been refused by the county council on September 19.

The application was first submitted in December 2023, looking to change of use of the former site of 'Mountstar Metal Corporation' in Felingerrig Yard, on the outskirts of Machynlleth.

The proposal intended to provide extra parking for Lloyds Coaches fleet of vehicles, who mentioned that their current premises opposite Machynlleth station as “inadequate” and “severely limited”.

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In the application, Lloyds Coaches said: “The proposed development will deliver much needed parking for Lloyds Coaches Ltd who have been operating from adjacent the town Railway Station for a number of years.

“This area of Machynlleth has inadequate parking space for the size of the business and access for manoeuvrability is severely limited.

“The proposed application site affords the business adequate space for parking of all the companies’ bus and coach fleet, manoeuvrability of large commercial vehicles is possible within the curtilage of the site and existing embankments provide excellent screening from the adjacent trunk road.”

However, the application was refused by Powys County Council, who listed a number of reasons for their decision.

The council sited concerns over the impact on highway safety, the local habitat, air quality and on the consequences of any flooding in the area if the proposal went ahead, labelling it as an “unjustified development”.

In their report, Powys Council said: “Insufficient information has been submitted to demonstrate that the proposed development would be served by an adequate means of vehicular access, with a safe access and egress being achievable. The proposed development therefore has the potential to result in a detrimental impact upon highway safety.

“Insufficient information has been submitted in support of the application to conclude there would be no adverse impacts upon protected and priority species and habitats as a result of the proposed development.

“Insufficient information has been submitted to ensure that the consequences of any flooding would be acceptable for the development proposed and that it would not give rise to any unacceptable flooding impacts elsewhere.”