Flintshire plant hire company seeks more room to store machinery as building sites shut down due to coronavirus

A Flintshire plant hire company is seeking more room to store machinery as building sites shut down due to the coronavirus crisis. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Thomas Plant Hire in Caerwys said construction firms had been returning equipment in their droves in the wake of the COVID-19 lockdown. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The business is now asking for temporary permission to use an area of land next to the depot as storage space at the site runs out. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

An application to Flintshire Council shows the area of grass would be returned to its original condition after the end of the year. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

In a letter to the local authority, planning consultant Howard Jones, who is acting on the company’s behalf, said: “The requirement for the temporary storage of plant, machinery and equipment is a direct result of the current coronavirus outbreak. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Contractors who have been hiring these items from Thomas Plant Hire have returned them at very short notice, as the construction/building sites on which they were being used have closed.
“In addition, new construction projects, which require plant machinery and equipment have not commenced. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Thomas Plant Hire has insufficient space on its existing plant hire depot site to accommodate all of the plant, machinery and equipment that has been returned. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“The temporary use of the land to the west and south of the Depot site, as described, enables all returned plant, machinery and equipment to be stored in a single location where appropriate security arrangements can be better provided. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“It is anticipated that by 31st December 2020, as Coronavirus restrictions are eased, the plant, machinery and equipment will be re-hired and returned to construction and building sites as they re-open.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Sheets would be placed underneath the machinery to prevent any oil or other liquids from leaking. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Comments are currently being invited on the application on the council’s website. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Planners are aiming to make a decision towards the end of next month, although timescales are impacted by the coronavirus outbreak. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Liam Randall – Local Democracy Reporter (more here). ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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