A plan to use a car park in Bracknell as a driving school for motorbikes has been withdrawn after being hit with objections.
Earlier this year, a plan was submitted to use the Wick Hill Car Park in Bull Lane for motorcycle learning lessons.
This would have involved motorbike driving lessons taking place between 8am and 4pm on weekdays and potentially on weekends as well.
The applicant also wanted to install a shipping container at the top left corner of the car park for storage purposes.
The car park is located near Garth College, Sandy Lane Primary School and the Whitegrove House flats.
But neighbours opposed it, with the plan being hit with around 100 objections on Bracknell Forest Council’s planning portal.
One of its opponents, Ozhan O’Sullivan, said: “The car park doesn’t get that busy, the location has two education facilities and a residential area right next to that car park, and those would be affected.
“On the weekend, it is quite quiet, but that would change, and residents are worried about it.
“My flat is one of those closest to the car park, I’ve spoken to the college and the school, I people are stunned, the location is an odd choice.”
No planning statement within the submitted documents justified the plan, but photos provided by the applicant showed between three and nine parking spaces occupied during a fortnight-long survey in July.
The car park has 125 spaces, including 41 permit holder-only spaces, and two spaces reserved for Blue Badge holders.
Ultimately, the plan to use part of the car park as a motorcycle training ground was withdrawn on November 11.
Reacting to the news, Mr O’Sullivan said: “I’m really relieved, it’s a shame it was such a drawn-out process, the whole community was anxious about this for six months, it’s good it’s finally come to an end, we’re relieved but we’re ashamed it’s taken this long.
“It was originally meant to be decided in May or June, it caused a lot of stress in the community.
“Eventually, all the pressure, the objections, and a petition caused it to be thrown out.”
However, he did not rule out the possibility of a follow-up plan being submitted.
Mr O’Sullivan said: “It’s a worry, but who knows? It’s a possibility, we’re all about nervous that it will come back, so I wouldn’t rule it out.”
You can view the documents submitted for the withdrawn plan by typing the reference 25/00175/FUL into the council’s planning portal.
