Dover Kent UK

History of Dover Garages

117-118 Snargate Street

The Town Clerk said that it would be remembered that in connection with the application from Mr. C. E. Street to store 1500 gallons of petroleum spirit in 500 gallon underground tanks at the Neptune Garage, Snargate Street, and supplied from 3 pumps to be delivered to vehicles on the highway from the swing arm, the Council instructed the matter to be brought to the notice of the Ministry of Transport and to inform them that there were already a number of garages in the vicinity.  He had received notification that under the Trunk Roads Act, the Minister required consent to be withheld.

Councillor Took asked if it meant to say that the man could not proceed with any work in connection with this storage?

The Mayor: He cannot put pumps on the highway.

Councillor Took said that he could not quite understand the appendix to the letter to the Minister of Transport about other garages in the vicinity.

The Mayor said that the council decided to send the letter to the Minister.  They had to make an application to them, and the Council agree to point out that there were already several garages in the vicinity.

Councillor Took: Why do they withhold consent?

The Surveyor: Access to the highway.

The Mayor: That road belongs to the minister of transport.

Councillor Took said that it seemed to be very harsh.  The man had a garage there, but was unable to sell petrol.

The Town Clerk said that it was quite the usual procedure under the Trunk Road Act and the Restriction of Ribbon Development Act for consent to be  refused to garage premises being constructed in such a way that vehicles had to fill on a highway.  The Minister of Transport's policy was, in all cases where reasonably practical, to compel garages to re-fuel on their own premises.

Alderman Dawes said that he thought that it was the first one which had been refused in Dover.  All the way down the road, in London Road and High Street, there were garages where they had the advantage of swing arms.  There was also some in Castle Street and Northampton Street, and in the same, lower down in Snargate Street, they had the same facilities.  The way they were barring this man, it seemed as though they had something against him or someone had.

The Mayor said that they always asked for consent.

Adlerman Dawes said that they had not granted the others, it would have been different.

The Mayor said that it was not the Council who were refusing it.

Councillor Gates: We refused Castle Street.

Councillor Took said that he wondered whether the Ministry were influenced by them saying that there were other garages in the vicinity.

The Surveyor said that he was  not surprised at the decision.  They were very much alarmed by these garages being built alongside classified roads, and he thought that the Council observed at the last meeting that there was a danger that the Ministry would turn it down because there were quite a number of garages there as it was.

117-118 Snargate St - Harbour Motors

117-118 Snargate St - 1974 JE Gilham