A Gloucestershire councillor’s bid to repair, maintain and tune motorbikes on a commercial basis at his rural home just off the A417 has been quashed by a planning inspector.

Conservative councillor Clayton Williams was refused permission by Forest of Dean District Council in January 2024 to establish whether mixed use of the land at his Redmarley home was lawful.

The council rejected the plans for Chapel Cottage, Playley Green, due to a lack of evidence which demonstrated the use claimed had taken place to the degree and frequency that would constitute a material chance of use for a period of in excess of ten years.

They said in their decision notice that the site’s planning history and visual appearance, both historically and current, contradict the information provided by Cllr Williams and now a planning inspector has ruled in favour of the council and says their decision is sound.

Inspector Chris Baxter said in his decision that the evidence submitted with this appeal is not substantially clear with regards to the operation of a commercial use on any part of the appeal site, including the workshop.

“From the submitted information and what I heard at the inquiry it appears that the appellant does repair, maintain and tune motorcycles, small engine vehicles and other equipment, however, there is no convincing evidence that this is done as a commercial operation,” he said.

“On this basis, I cannot issue a certificate of lawful use or development with respect to part of the site.

“I conclude on the balance of probability, that the council’s refusal to grant a LDC in respect of the mix use of land as a dwelling with ancillary amenity land, and; commercial use for the repair, maintenance and tuning of motorcycles and other small engine vehicles and equipment, together with use ancillary thereto, was well-founded and that the appeal should fail.”