Owner of Gainsborough 'eyesore' without planning permission told to get rid of
A Gainsborough ‘eyesore’ has lost a planning battle, but councillors warn it could take a long time to get rid of it.
The Trinity Self Drive car and tyre storage facility on North Street was built last year without permission, and residents have complained about the untidy appearance.
There are also fire safety concerns due to the large amounts of tyres stored there and the site’s history as a petrol station.
West Lindsey District Council’s planning committee unanimously voted to refuse permission on visual impact and safety grounds at the meeting on Wednesday, October 14.
However, they said the site “wouldn’t be fixed tomorrow.”
Residents’ main fear was “the big piles of tyres going up in smoke” according to Councillor Paul Key, who represents the area.
Councillor Jim Snee said these types of businesses “are often on industrial estates due to the fire risk – this is in the middle of the town centre.”
Planning officers said they’d been unable to determine whether the petrol tanks had been removed after it stopped being a petrol station, which was one of the reasons for refusal.
Councillor Ian Fleetwood said until there was a solid answer, he worried the site could be “potentially explosive”.
The business has been running since around Christmas 2025 without planning permission, and officers said the applicant hasn’t responded to any of their questions.
Cliff Haw, who lives nearby, said he hated the shipping containers, half-built cars and hundreds of tyres.
He said: “Millions of pounds have been spent tidying Gainsborough town centre, but when you drive through main thoroughfare, this is a complete and utter eyesore.”
Councillor Glenn Puxty from Gainsborough Town Council told the committee: “It is on a prominent route through the town, and its cluttered appearance gives a poor impression to visitors, residents and potential investors.”
The applicant MrAli Mohammed Saleh did not attend the meeting or send a spokesperson.
He previously told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that he believed the business was entirely safe, saying: “You will find no better tyre shop in England.”
He will have the chance to appeal the decision, meaning any enforcement action on the site could take time.
Councillor Tom Smith predicted there could be a long wait, saying: “There’s a sizable backlog of Planning Inspectorate decisions.
“If we refuse it tonight, enforcement teams won’t be able to wave a magic wand and fix everything tomorrow.”