Vehicle rentals company reveals plans to open base in Telford - and create nine jobs

Car Hire Day of Swansea Ltd provides fleet rentals to the public and private sector throughout the UK.

They now want to convert a disused commercial car park at Stafford Park 10 into a distribution hub for vehicle hire servicing the wider Telford area.

Planning agent Montagu Evans said: “The business continues to grow and requires new depots to service the demand from new contracts.

“Their closest operation to the site is at Shrewsbury. The operation is oversubscribed which has highlighted a requirement for additional premises within the Telford area.”

A planning application has been submitted to Telford & Wrekin Council for the change of use of the ‘vacant commercial car park’ to allow the maintenance and storage of commercial vehicles.

The car park at Unit 5, Stafford Park 10, has around 140 parking spaces and a ‘small-scale’ office building in its south eastern corner.

“It is redundant and being used informally as overflow car parking for adjoining uses,” the planning application added.

“Days have agreed to occupy it subject to receipt of a satisfactory planning permission.”

Car Hire Day of Swansea states that no physical development is proposed as part of the plan and that it will utilise the existing office building.

The nine jobs created include a business development manager, depot manager, three hire controllers and four drivers/cleaners.

The applicant proposes the site to be in operation between 8.30am and 5.30pm Monday to Friday and 8.30am until 12.30pm on Saturdays.

Vehicular and pedestrian access will be via the existing Sapphire House northern entrance.

The applicant anticipates around 20 movements of commercial vehicles in and out of the site on a daily basis.

It states that this ‘comprises a clear reduction’ verses the potential vehicle movements as a commercial car park.

“The occupation of the site is therefore highly sustainable given no demolition or construction works are required,” the application concludes.

“Reflective of similar uses, the layout on site will be relatively informal and fluid linked to the storage of vehicles, it is therefore considered parking layout or other plans are of limited value.

“The proposed development comprises sustainable economic development, given that it makes use of a prominent vacant site.

“The proposed development therefore represents sustainable economic development and will secure significant investment and growth by way of job creation.”

The plan can be viewed on Telford & Wrekin Council’s online planning portal, application number TWC/2024/0271. Any comments need to be made during the consultation phase which ends on May 3.