The owner of a Witham firm has warned that 15 staff will lose their jobs if his business is forced to close after being refused planning permission.
RS Training Services has been teaching people to drive fork lift trucks, plant machinery, coaches and lorries from its yard and barn in Rickstones Road, on the edge of the town, for 18 months.
But so many residents complained about disturbance from vehicle movements that the firm has been refused planning permission and ordered to close down. It has appealed against that refusal.
A Government inspector will now hear the arguments at a formal appeal in Braintree Town Hall on November 3 Braintree District Council planners have ruled that the access to the yard, which is on a double bend, is unsuitable for use by lorries and coaches and endangers and inconveniences other road users.
A number of residents have complained about heavy vehicles coming and going morning and evening.
The firm says that ordering it to cease all activities is excessive, and it should be allowed to continue to teach fork lift truck driving within the barn.
It would also like at least six months to relocate, if this became unavoidable.
Owner Michael Prince said he had spent the last two months vainly searching for new premises.
"I am really being forced to think that we shall have to shut down," said Mr Prince
Published Friday July 30, 2004
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