Prettygate Convenience Store, 1 Cotman Road, Colchester CO3 4QJ

1. 1.This retrospective application proposes the installation of 3 outdoor washing machines that are available 24 hours a day on a site adjacent to a dwelling and residential area. The area surrounding the development site is largely characterised by dwellings and shop fronts and the proposed development is visually incompatible with its surroundings. The proposed laundry machines have an industrial appearance and their bulk and massing result in a jarring and incongruous impact on the street scene and character of the area. The proposal fails to achieve a high quality of design and fails to respect the character and appearance of the surrounding area and therefore conflicts with the following national and local plan policies: Policies SP7 and DM15 are relevant in terms of design and impact on the character of the area. These policies seek to secure high quality and inclusive design in all developments, respecting and enhancing the characteristics of the site, its context and surroundings, including neighbouring residential amenity. Policy SP7 states in particular that all new development must meet high standards of urban and architectural design. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (updated 2026) and the Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) recognise the importance of good design, specifically in Policy DP3: Key principles for well-designed places, para 1 of the NPPF which requires development proposals respond to their context and integrate well into their surroundings.
2. 2.The proposed laundry facility is approximately 1 metre from the boundary shared with the neighbour's site, which contains a dwelling. The noise generated by the machines themselves and the noise disturbance from comings and goings at unrestricted times by the users of the machines could both harm the amenity of local residents. The noise report submitted with the application confirms that the machines generate 63db of noise measured 1m from the machines. Given that the boundary shared with the nearest dwelling is approximately 1m from the machines, it is considered that this level of noise could have an impact on neighbouring amenity at night. As outlined in the objections received, noise nuisance could also arise from car engines, car doors closing, car stereos and users of the machines talking, particularly at night. In summary, the potential for noise nuisance at night, when the majority of local residents will be sleeping is likely to negatively affect residential amenity in terms of noise disturbance and the proposal therefore conflicts with the following national guidance and local plan policies: In Section 17, P3: Living conditions and pollution, para 2. b. the NPPF (2026) states that development proposals should not give rise to unacceptable levels of noise pollution on or beyond the site. Section 1 Policy SP7: Place Shaping Principles, which protects the amenity of residents with regard to noise and overlooking, amongst other things. Section 2 Local Plan Policy DM15: Design and Amenity seeks to ensure that all development protect residential amenity particularly with regard to privacy and overlooking and with noise and disturbance, amongst other things. Section 2 Local Plan policy SG6a: Local Centres, which states that: Proposals will be required to demonstrate that they will not adversely affect residential amenity, particularly in terms of car parking, noise and hours of operation.

From the council's decision notice.

Postcode

CO3 4QJ

Application type

Full (8 Week Determination)

Scale / size

Small

Parish

Colchester

Date validated

4 June 2026

Consultation expiry

29 June 2026

Consultation end

29 June 2026

Target decision date

30 July 2026

Case officer

SimonM Grady

Statutory period

56 days

Appeal result

l

UPRN

100091469216