A BLAKEDOWN car hire firm has been refused permission to create extra space for more vehicles.

Grosvenor Hall, in Station Drive, wanted to extend an existing car storage area by about 65 metres to store hire cars prior to delivery.

Members of Wyre Forest District Council, however, refused the plan as it was not in keeping with the area and was likely to cause traffic problems.

The firm said it was expanding and needed more room. A barrier of trees screened the business from nearby Lynwood Drive and extra planting and fencing would be put in place if the application was approved.

A maximum of 30 vehicles would be delivered on four or five transporters a day, the firm said.

Council case officer, Paul Wrigglesworth, said the extra space would be double what was already at the site and be "seriously detrimental to neighbouring amenity".

Vehicle access from the site was next to a level crossing where visibility was poor, he said, and the plan would, therefore "compromise the safe movement of traffic and the safe use of the road by others".

The council's planning (development control) committee threw out the plan on Tuesday of last week.