A businessman, locked in a bitter dispute with council planners, says he will be forced to shut his garage doors showroom if his appeal against an enforcement notice fails.

Eugene Perez, owner of Sussex Garage Doors, in Farmlands Way, Polegate, has been given six months to stop using the garden at the back of the premises to store deliveries.

Officers at Wealdon District Council say the land is not authorised for storage and that lorries turning up at the premises are causing unacceptable "noise and inconvenience".

But Mr Perez, who is appealing against the enforcement notice, vehemently denies the claims.

He says house prices in the area have quadrupled since he opened the showroom five years ago and claims the council's highways department okayed the deliveries.

He says underinvestment in industrial premises in the area means he will have nowhere to go if his appeal, to be heard on August 1, fails.

Mr Perez said: "If we lose our appeal against the enforcement notice we will have to move but industrial space in the area is poor - so where?"

Sussex Garage Doors, which employs seven people in Polegate, was originally based in Broad Road but had to move due to delivery problems caused by yellow lines and bus stops.

Mr Perez explained: "We thought this site would be perfect as it had previously been used for the delivery and storage of large sofas.

"Now, five years on, we are being told we are too big to be here. This is really wearing us down.

"There is land earmarked for commercial development around Polegate but that could take a while to be available. This area is in desperate need of industrial land and buildings for small to medium size businesses to grow.

"If we lose our appeal against the enforcement order we will have to close our showroom which would be very damaging to our business. All we need is somewhere to go. If there is anyone who has a suitable building or land and is thinking of selling or renting we would be more than happy to hear from them."

A spokesman for Wealdon District Council said: "The showroom is in a residential area. The matter has gone to appeal and is currently with the planning inspector."

Mark Froud chief executive of Sussex Enterprise sympathised with Mr Perez's predicament. He said "East Sussex has seen almost no new office buildings in the last 15 years whereas West Sussex has received 95 per cent of all investment in new office floor space in Sussex since 1987."

Tuesday, July 4, 2006