CONTROVERSIAL plans for a town centre taxi control base have been approved despite objections from residents.

Applicant Parvez Khan will now move Fenton-based City Cabs to the City Car Wash, in London Road, Stoke, which he also owns.

An 11-metre (36ft) high communications aerial will also be installed at the site.

Mr Khan was yesterday given temporary planning permission for two years by Stoke-on-Trent City Council to allow him to demonstrate the business can be operated without impacting on neighbours.

A total of 37 people signed had signed a petition against the scheme amid concerns about problems parking and noise nuisance.

Speaking at yesterday's meeting of the development management committee, Mr Khan, of Acorn Rise, Lightwood, said: "The car wash business is not very busy. We have been running it for more than 20 years and, although we are based in Fenton, Stoke is our main area of trading.

"A lot of taxis are already in the area. We don't need the parking, we need the office space. Taxi drivers will come into the office to pay their fees and have their cars washed or use the toilet, not to sit around.

"Taxi drivers don't really want to sit in our office because they want to be out making money. They will each come in perhaps once per week."

A condition has been placed on the approval preventing taxi drivers from using the site between 11pm and 7am. Mr Khan reassured councillors cabbies will not use the base at night as he intends to install barriers.

Planning officer Tom Coates said: "These conditions give us some control over ensuring taxi drivers don't visit the site and chat and play music at unsociable hours."

Committee chairman, Councillor Tom Reynolds said: "Residents in the area will keep a close eye on the operation and check it adheres to these conditions."

The site was previously used as a petrol filling station. The pumps have been removed but the canopy and kiosk are still standing.

The car wash currently employs four full-time and two part-time workers, but the new taxi rank is expected to create two full-time jobs.

Leslie Powell, aged 49, from Sturgess Street, said: "At least the councillors have given a temporary approval. It gives the company the chance to prove it can run it properly without causing a lot of disruption to residents.

"We have enough noise and nuisance in the area already and taxis park in our street now, so hopefully they will use the forecourt instead. This is only a little street and it's busy enough as it is.

"There are a lot people hanging around in the early hours of the morning so I'm glad to see they will not be picking up from the base overnight."