Morrisons in Malvern plans to build new MOT centre

Morrisons wants to build a car park valet pod with a canopy to allow it to offer MOT servicing at its site on the Malvern Retail Park.

If approved, the new building would replace 44 parking spaces on the site, with plans set to be discussed by Malvern Hills District Council this week.

There are already concerns the loss of parking spaces will cause problems at Morrisons, with Cllr Neville Mills' response to the plans calling them potentially "most unwelcome".

He wrote: "Morrisons' garage already has a perfectly serviceable car wash facility.

"The addition of a further facility, together with the proposed service pod will lead to a significant reduction in the number, at least 40, parking spaces in an already crowded car park.

SITE: The proposed area of the MOT site

"I think that this could prove most unwelcome among the customers shopping in Morrisons.

"It should also be noted that there are several other car wash/service facilities within the Malvern Link industrial complex."

Planning documents from Morrisons say the MOT pod will offer services from In ‘n’ Out Autocentres, which offers MOT testing, servicing and repairs within the car park of the existing Morrisons store.

Similar buildings have been built in Morrisons car parks around the county, including at one in Bromsgrove.

The plans state: "It is envisaged that customers will time their visit to In ’n’ Out with their weekly food shop.

"The average weekly shop takes approximately 55 minutes which coincides with average MOT test time of 45 minutes and servicing taking up to an hour.

"In ’n’ Out currently operate 28 locations across the UK using an appointment-based system."

SITE: The proposed site of the MOT centre

Planners from the council's Southern Area Planning Committee will discuss the plans at a meeting on July 20.

Malvern Civic Society requested the plans be refused, saying it would increase pressure on parking in and around the town.

The group's response said: "We are concerned that the loss of 44 car parking spaces from within the car park area of the supermarket will result in parking pressure increasing elsewhere in the retail park, which in turn will result in higher numbers of vehicles unlawfully parking on, and damaging, our land – particularly during peak periods.

"We therefore wish to lodge our objection to this application in its current form.

"We ask the Council to require the applicant submit a fuller design and access statement that properly assesses the impacts of the lost parking spaces on the car parks and adjoining properties."