A used car lot in Hendon has been deemed unlawful after being slammed for causing “significant harm” to the local area.

Buren Holdings Ltd has lost its planning appeal against Barnet Council’s enforcement notice regarding its use of the land at Sopers Yard, 155 Bell Lane, where second-hand car dealership Car Joint is currently operating.

In a decision notice published on 6th June, a government planning inspector dismissed claims made by the company that its use of the land did not breach planning control, following an inquiry held in March this year.

The inspector, Hilda Higgenbottam, upheld the council’s enforcement notice with some amendments to the wording. It means Buren Holdings has six months to find an alternative site or seek planning permission to use Sopers Yard as a car lot.

According to the decision notice, Buren Holdings accepted car sales were taking place from the site but denied it was being used for open storage and waste transfer. However, the inspector concluded that open storage and waste transfer were also part of the use of the site.

The company also argued that there had been no material change of use of the site, which was previously used by the council to store parks maintenance vehicles.

But the inspector said that there is currently “no lawful use” of the land and that “the use to which it is being put now requires planning permission”. She added that “no planning permission has been granted and therefore there is a breach of planning control”.

The inspector also found the use of the land was causing harm to “highway safety, character and appearance, the living conditions of nearby residents and biodiversity”.

According to the decision notice, the use of the land “resulted in some local residents being disturbed by the comings and goings of vehicles, the starting up and manoeuvring of the party bus regularly at weekends when it is taken off site for events or returned after events, waste into metal containers, vehicle delivery, preparation of vehicles to be sold, and the use of jet wash equipment particularly at the rear of the site at the weekend, and general activity on the site”.

It concludes: “I shall uphold the enforcement notice with variations and refuse to grant planning permission on the deemed application.”

Buren Holdings could not be reached for comment.