A POPULAR weekly car boot sale has been forced to close down over planning issues.

Bob Newby began the car boot, which attracts hundreds of people every week in the car park at Sixways Stadium, the home of Worcester Warriors, in May.

He started the event on a 12 week temporary contract but it has been stopped while planning permission is obtained.

Mr Newby is angry because he claims he was never informed planning permission was needed. However, Worcester Warriors say they have done everything by the book.

Mr Newby, who claims the venture has put him £10,000 out of pocket, said he does not think the car boot sale will re-open regardless of the decision made by Wychavon planners.

Worcester Warriors said it has applied for planning permission 'in timely fashion.'

Mr Newby said: "I was not told that we would need planning permission when the temporary contract was agreed, and it was decided with Warriors to continue the agreement after 12 weeks.

"After about two or three weeks of running the car boot sale, we had a call from someone at Wychavon District Council, who said that we need to get planning permission.

"When I discussed this with the Warriors, they said that it would not be a problem as they had car boot sales before at the stadium.

"When the stadium applied for permission, Wychavon District Council were very slow and excessively bureaucratic and told us they would take six months to make a decision.

“There is apparently just one Wychavon council member who does not want a car boot."

Following the councillor's objection, the matter was sent to the planning committee.

Mr Newby said it was then the Warriors pulled the plug on the venture.

Mr Newby, who had been running the event on a Sunday afternoon, said he would only re-open if the Warriors give him a discount.

He said: "I am £10,000 out of pocket, it has been profitable for Sixways but not for me, I was hoping that after a few months it would become profitable as the Ketch car boot event does not run during the winter and it is going to have to move.

"But there are about 60 or 70 boots, and a few hundred people coming along each week, they are all going to go elsewhere so it would have to start again.

"I have asked the Warriors to provide a discount on the rate or funding support to start with, which I think would be fair as they are partly to blame, but they have said no."

Two previous car boot sales ran on Sunday mornings at Sixways, before Mr Newby's venture.

Gary Williams, head of housing and planning at Wychavon District Council, said: “We have received an application for planning permission to hold a car boot on the car park at Sixways Stadium. Consultation on the application ended on 9 August.

"Local councillors for the area, as is their democratic right, requested the application be considered by members of Wychavon’s Planning Committee rather than be decided by officers. No date has been set for when the application will be heard and no decision has yet been taken.

“The applicant was advised that if we received a complaint regarding the car boot when it had no planning permission, we would need to consider whether it was appropriate to start enforcement action.

"The decision to close the car boot was not taken by Wychavon.

“Wychavon is proud of its track record on supporting businesses and the local economy but this must be balanced against ensuring any development or use of land is appropriate and lawful to ensure everyone is operating on a level playing field.”

Warriors managing director Gus Mackay said: “Sixways Stadium entered into a 12-week trial period with Mr Newby to host his weekly car boot events on-site, working within the permitted development allowance, where no planning permission is required.

“During this time, and in timely fashion, we applied to Wychavon District Council for planning permission for the car boots to continue beyond the original timeframe.

"As the permitted development allowance has now passed, we have postponed subsequent car boot events until the outcome of the planning permission application is known.

“While we work tirelessly to support our clients as much as we can, the planning application process is something we need to comply with and respect, and we are working closely with Wychavon District Council."