Up to 120 storage containers set for Progress Industrial Estate in Rogiet

Plans have been lodged for a new storage facility for up to 120 containers at Rogiet with security gates, despite the development having already taken place.

New Storage Ltd is already operating a self-storage company at Progress Industrial Estate on Station Road and has already built new security gates, despite the site not having the relevant planning permission.

A planning statement for the application says: “The applicant had assumed that the site already had planning permission for the storage use, but was informed by the council’s enforcement officer that was not the case and that permission was required for the change of use and that new entrance gates.”

The site in question has a permitted use for industrial process but not as a storage facility.

The application would allow up to 120 containers to be placed on the site. Currently there are  68 storage containers and two caravans in use.

The applicant, Now Storage Ltd, operates throughout southern England and the West Midlands and is “seeking to expand this business into Wales”.

Currently the nearest Now Storage site is at Ross-on-Wye.

The company allows private individuals and companies to store goods in the containers.

However, the storage containers are most often used by people moving house or relocating.

The planning statement says: “It is important to note that the company prohibits the storing of any fuel, gas bottles, firearms, hazardous materials, and explosives (including fireworks). 

“Therefore, the risk of pollution from operation of the site is minimal and is not considered material to the planning application.”

If given the go-ahead, the company plans to move containers in and out of the site depending on customer demand levels. The containers could also be transported to people’s homes if needed.

Currently the site is open seven days a week and customers can access their storage containers between 6am and 10pm.

So far, one member of the public has objected to the plans. They raised concerns over the visual impact as it’s near a church and the storage containers are blue in colour.

The objector also raised concerns over the proximity of the site to neighbouring properties and the potential risk of flooding. 

The gates at the entrance, which were built for security reasons, also require retrospective planning permission.

The application will be decided by the council in the coming months.