An application was recently submitted proposing the conversion of a room at Mobi Wantage into an office for an online or phone-based taxi service intended to operate seven to 10 private hire vehicles. Under the proposal, the service would not have allowed walk-in visits from customers, and no vehicles would have been stored on-site. Operations would have been managed by a single staff member from the location.
The application was ultimately withdrawn following objections from the leaseholder, Mehmet Elbir, who stated that he had not been informed about the change of use application. Elbir explicitly objected to the proposal and requested its cancellation.
Robin Heath of Green & Co estate agents, representing the freeholder/landlord, also highlighted issues with the application process. Heath mentioned that their office had not been formally notified of the application and stated that taxi businesses fall under Sui Generis use. Given the location’s established Use Class E designation, Heath questioned whether a Certificate of Lawful Proposed Use or Development (CLPUD) was the proper method to request the change, arguing that a traditional planning application might have been more appropriate.
In addition to these points, another objection was raised by a local individual named Anthony, who noted that there was no available unused office space at the premises. He also remarked that the application conflicted with the already permitted use of the site.
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