PLANS to use an old nursery as a store for an Evesham gas shop have been narrowly approved.

Members of Wychavon District Council's planning committee voted nine to eight in favour of allowing a former plant greenhouse to be used for storage by Evesham's High Street Gas Shop.

The application arose from an enforcement investigation which found that a change of use had been carried out without permission.

Sheila Pearse, the applicant, said in a letter that the change of use had been carried out due to an estimated 80% loss of trade since the opening of the Norton and Lenchwick bypass.

Councillor Clive Holt said the nurseries at Newlands, Norton, near Evesham, had been a retail outlet on and off for around 70 years.

"They have been using this place for the FireFly's for over four years. Does that effectively give them lawful use?"

This was answered by Jack Hegarty, the council's head of planning, who said that change of use only becomes lawful after ten years.

It was suggested by Mr Hegarty that the Gas Shop look for other premises in town to store their fires as he did not want Wychavon to set a precedent for out-of-town retail outlets as it was against government guidance.

But coun Holt said that the greenhouse was no more than two or three hundred yards away from Evesham Country Park, which in itself contains five or six retail units.

He added that the council was being "rather harsh" and that it was not unreasonable for them to continue displaying and storing fires at the former nurseries.

Coun Margaret Rowley recommended refusal on the grounds that it was against planning policy to approve out-of-town retail applications.

Despite the concerns of Mr Hegarty and Mrs Rowley, councillors voted in favour of the proposal.