THE future of Kempsey's Sunnyside Garage is still in the balance, after a plan to build a house on the site in Old Road South was refused planning permission.

Following the retirement of Alan Gittens, who had been running the business in partnership with Laurence Manton, owner John Bennison planned to demolish the garage and build a house.

Mr Manton, aged 53, who had worked at Sunnyside for 25 years, decided to "go mobile", trading as LM Autos, after the garage closed at the end of September.

However, an outline application to change the use of the site from commercial to domestic was turned down by Malvern Hills planning officers.

They said the application failed to demonstrate that the existing commercial use was no longer viable or that it was detrimental to the amenity of the area.

The loss of an employment-generating activity could not therefore be justified, officers said.

Mr Bennison said he did not know what his next move would be.

"I might try to sell the property as a garage, but I am not holding my breath," he said.

"The problem is that most of the small garages have gone out of business in the last 10 years or so.

"There is not enough work for that type of garage nowadays."

At last week's meeting of Kempsey Parish Council, district councillor Mike Biddle expressed the hope that Sunnyside Garage might still be saved, amid concern about the loss of local facilities, including the hardware shop, a newsagent's and a butcher's.

"It might be possible to maintain Sunnyside Garage," he said.