Plans submitted to turn old vehicle test site into van sales centre

There are plans to turn the old Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) site near the M4 at Tormarton into a seven-day-a-week commercial van sales centre.

South Gloucestershire Council has received a planning application for the depot from Bath Van Centre Ltd.

The site at Bath Road is immediately to the west of the A46 and about 300 metres south of Junction 18 of the M4.

Until September 2023, it was used by the DVSA as a vehicle testing centre for checks on commercial drivers and vehicles.

The goods vehicles would be escorted from the M4 and other local roads to the site. They would be inspected for potential offences including breaches of driver hours legislation, overloaded vehicles and the general roadworthiness of the vehicles. Fixed penalty notices and other reprimands were issued as appropriate.

Vehicles would enter from the west, pass the control room for booking in and then follow an anti-clockwise one-way route around the perimeter of the site to a designated parking bay for inspection. They would then exit to the A46 northbound carriageway.

Bath Van Centre Ltd plans to continue the same entry and exit arrangement. The existing administration building will be replaced with a new sales building, together with entrance and exit control kiosks.

The intended opening hours are 8am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm on Saturday, and 10am to 4pm on Sunday.

Expected customer numbers are 10 per day. There will be up to 10 members of staff involved in management, administration, sales and the cleaning of vehicles

The site is within the Green Belt and Cotswolds National Landscape. To the north is a National Highways maintenance depot, and to the south land that was formerly used as a car park/picnic site.

The planning reference is P25/01989/F.

The deadline for comments is Saturday 13th September.