A 380 SIGNATURE petition has helped to save a Fenland car wash from closure.

A 380 SIGNATURE petition has helped to save a Fenland car wash from closure.

Businesswoman Amanda Carlin presented the petition to Fenland District Council Planning Committee which agreed to allow the business to continue.

Ms Carlin led the campaign to save the hand car wash at Sisco Service Station in Wimblington after planning officials claimed noise was having an “unacceptable impact on residential amenity”.

Ms Carlin told councillors: “If only my Dyson vacuum cleaner was so quiet.

“There is visible support for this enterprise in the community. “There is no issue with noise.”

Councillor Mark Archer agreed and said he was “staggered this has come in front of us.

“It seems we’re doing all we can to stifle business rather than encourage it.”

Councillor Phil Hatton, vice chairman, said: “There are many more major enforcement issues in Fenland than this one. “All it is doing is wasting time.”

Planning compliance officer Gavin Taylor said in a report: “The noise associated with the operation, relating to both the physical process and the machinery utilised, is such that the scheme has an unacceptable impact on residential amenity.”

A notice was served on the owners in Doddington Road on July 14 telling them to stop hand car washing services and remove all machinery and materials associated with the vehicle wash.

Mr Taylor wanted the council to carry out removal works itself and recover costs from the owner, as well as pursue “prosecution for non-compliance of an enforcement notice” in the courts.

But councillors rejected enforcement after hearing that there had been only one complaint.

Councillor John West said: “Unless they’ve got a jazz band playing or are screaming: ‘We’re cleaning cars,’ I can’t understand what the problem is.”

Sisco has now submitted a fresh planning application to regularise use of the car wash which will be considered in the autumn by the committee.