A COMPANY has been granted retrospective planning permission for storing materials on farmland for four years without notifying the planning authority.

Barrier Services in Caldicot had changed the use of more than 4000sqm of land due to new standards and health and safety regulations being enforced by the Highways Agency and construction firm Costain.

The fencing contractor, which has been based at The Elms site since 1989, told the council that they have to store new, old and reconditioned materials in separate compounds as not to risk contamination.

The repurposed area has also been used for parking business vehicles, with the existing compound also used for staff parking.

A spokeswoman for Barrier Services also stated that the use of the land was not indicative of any further expansion of the business, which has reportedly used the same number of vehicles since it was established.

Since the application was lodged residents living nearby have disputed that point, claiming that the number of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) using the narrow lanes heading into the site has increased.

Similar concerns had been voiced by Caerwent Community Council, with Cllr Phil Murphy adding: “The feeling locally is that this business has outgrown its site but that said, I accept that it has been a long time.”

Cllr Murphy also said that Barrier Services had acquired land elsewhere and were seeking a new site.

Llanfoist Fawr Cllr Giles Howard added: “I understand the issues with the complaints with the community council regarding the traffic but as far as the application is concerned that’s more of a sideshow because there’s no intensification or extended use of the site.”

But Cllr Alan Davies, member for Green Lane, voted against the application.

He said: “I am bothered by retrospective planning because at the end of the day the residents were not consulted when they initially took the decision to change this into a storage area. By doing that they are circumnavigating the system and not allowing residents to have their say.”

In reply, head of planning Mark Hand said: “”It’s a recurring theme but the guidance is really clear and we have to just consider them as though the application has only gone through the proper channels. We can’t penalise them or treat them differently for what they have done.”

The final decision saw 11 councillors vote in favour and two vote against.