A car valeting business will be allowed to operate on a Sunday following an agreement by the Local Review Body.
A retrospective application was considered by councillors after a site visit to the Linlithgow business.
Councillors agreed that the valeting business close to Linlithgow Rose football ground on Braehead Road was in a mixed use rather than a solely residential area.
In his appeal to the Local Review Body, appellant William Rankine said that Sunday was one of the busiest days for this type of business. He added that the majority of customers stayed in their cars while it was washed and only a few customers left their vehicles for valeting.
Mr Rankine added that the business was providing a “valuable local service and employment to the community” but could face closure if it could no longer operate on a Sunday.
The Sunday opening had been called into question because of evidence presented to Environmental Health officers of the noise from jet washers and the sound of car doors slamming.
This evidence was newly submitted, and councillors had to decide whether they should consider it as part of the retrospective application.
Councillor Tony Boyle said the evidence should not be considered because the source was unknown. Colleagues agreed.
Chair of the Local Review Body Councillor Danny Logue moved that the Sunday opening should continue, with hours of operation to be decided by opening no earlier than 10am. I’m quite happy to go ahead and take advice on operating hours for the Sunday. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the 10 to 6pm.
Local councillor Tom Conn seconded the motion and said: “The view I have formed is that it is certainly a mixed-use area in that regard on the basis of more mixed business use I’d be favourably inclined to its Sunday opening.”
By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency. It is funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector (in Edinburgh that is Reach plc (the publisher behind Edinburgh Live and The Daily Record) and used by many qualifying partners. Local Democracy Reporters cover news about top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.
