A Gloucestershire councillor’s plan for a home motorbike workshop has been denied by a planning inspector, citing insufficient evidence for commercial use.
The Forest of Dean District Council turned down his request back in January 2024. They felt he didn’t provide enough proof that he had been using the land for this purpose for over ten years. The council pointed out that the history and look of the site didn’t match what he claimed.
Williams tried to appeal, but the inspector backed the council’s decision. Inspector Chris Baxter noted that the evidence wasn’t clear enough to show that a commercial operation was happening there.
He mentioned that while it seemed Williams did work on bikes, there was no solid proof it was a business. So, the inspector concluded that the council was right to deny the request for a lawful use certificate.
It looks like Williams will have to find another way to pursue his motorbike repair ambitions.
