A HUGE steel frame which was ‘erected unlawfully’ at a car showroom has now been approved by councillors after revisions to the plans.

The structure, to form a workshop building to paint spray and repair vehicles, was built at The Car People, Rochdale Road, Bury, on the site of a former bus depot.

The site, just to the east of Bury town centre, is close to Moorgate Business Park.

A report to Bury council’s planning committee said that work had been ordered to stop on the building.

The report, said: “An application for an extension to form a workshop was submitted in June 2020.

“Prior to any determination work started and the portal frame was completed.

“A stop notice was issued by the council and work ceased.

“The portal frame of the building which has been erected unlawfully is adjacent to Back Fletcher Street.

“The planning application was subsequently refused for reasons including, scale, position, height and loss of parking.”

The latest application aimed to address some of those issues.

It increased the length of the workshop but reduced the height and width and be separated from houses on Fletcher Street by 21 metres.

Four objections were received from neighbours to the revised plans.

Issues raised included “the building will still be huge and block light to my home”.

Another objection stated that “we as residents are entitled to some quality of life, the size and noise from this building will impact that”.

The objection went on to say the building would make neighbours “prisoners in our own home” and “seriously affect the value of our houses”.

After a site visit to the partially-built structure the committee voted to allow the revised plans.

Among the conditions imposed were restriction on hours of use and access, stipulating that all deliveries to the site go through the access from Rochdale Road.

Another condition was that a further noise survey is undertaken on the impact of a ventilation system and the results submitted to Bury Council.