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Council planners have given a businessman in Risca permission to turn his hand car wash into a tyre-fitting garage.

Sherwan Sharif, who owns Risca Hand Car Wash, on St Mary Street, will be allowed to proceed with what planners called a “simple” change of use on the premises, with “minor external alterations” required to the existing buildings.

Council planning officers noted the business was in “a predominantly residential area” but said that in that particular section of St Mary Street, “there are mixed uses” including shops, a doctor’s surgery, a pub, and petrol station.

Two neighbours had objected to the planning application, mainly on grounds there were already other tyre-fitting businesses operating nearby.

But in a planning statement submitted to Caerphilly County Borough Council on the applicant’s behalf, an agent argued that “using the site for tyre-fitting would “not create a significant amount of activity that could cause disturbance” to nearby residents.

It would be “unlikely the proposal will generate more noise than the existing use of the site or increase to an extent that is harmful to the neighbours”, the agent added.

Council planners said people living nearby would be “unlikely to experience any unacceptable exacerbated noise impacts” as a result of the proposed tyre-fitting business.

Planning permission was granted, subject to a series of conditions, including that operating and delivery hours of the new business were limited to between 8am and 6pm on weekdays and Saturdays, and between 9am and 4pm on Sundays.

The business will not be allowed to open on bank holidays.