Sheffield laundry firm Abbey Glen faces new objections from neighbours over planned changes

A Sheffield laundry firm that has attracted opposition from neighbours is set to have one planning application turned down and one approved by city councillors meeting next week.

Sheffield City Council’s planning committee will decide on recommendations by its officers to turn down proposals by Abbey Glen in Carley Drive, Westfield for an outside storage area but allow extended delivery hours.

The applications from the firm, which provides linen services for hospitality and leisure companies, met with 28 letters of objections plus two from councillors.

Some neighbours have been campaigning against the firm for 18 months and in March a petition signed by 200 residents was presented to the council.

Complaints have been made about noise and odours coming from the site and disturance due to the laundry working long hours, as well as issues about staff parking on surrounding streets.

The company has responded, saying council investigations found no statutory noise or odour nuisance.

The report to the committee says the firm alleges: “Some residents have been aggressive and intimidating and other residents are fearful of recriminations if they support the proposal”.

‘Unacceptable noise and disturbance’

Abbey Glen said it welcomes anyone with concerns to come and visit the site.

The firm has applied for permission for outside storage and to change the hours when deliveries can made to the site.

The storage application is recommended for refusal because of an “unacceptable impact on highway safety as a result of insufficient on-site parking and a consequent increase in parking on the local road network.”

There were also safety worries about excessive reversing manoeuvres by lorries near parked vehicles.

The second reason for refusal is “unacceptable noise and disturbance to neighbouring properties”.

The second proposal, to change permitted delivery hours from 8am to 6pm on Mondays to Fridays and 8am to 1pm on Saturdays, with no deliveries allowed on Sundays or public holidays, is recommended for refusal.

The report to the council says that the firm, which moved to Westfield in 2020, originally wanted delivery hours of 7am to 8pm Mondays to Friday plus 8am to 3pm at weekends and public holidays but this was changed in negotiations.

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