A car wash that was operating illegally out of a restaurant car park has been forced to shut for good after a battle lasting more than a year.

A hand car wash and valeting service was set up in the car park of the Bombay Grill and Salad restaurant on London Road in Wooburn Moor, but last year Buckinghamshire Council told them to stop what they were doing.

Complaints about the car wash were first made in January 2020 after a site office building had been installed and hardstanding laid in the restaurant car park without planning permission.

A team of planning enforcement officers investigated and a stop notice and an enforcement notice were issued on July 29, 2020.

The tenant appealed the enforcement notice, but it was thrown out. The tenant had until May 26 this year to comply with the notice and remove the site office, all adverts and a canopy that they had installed.

After site visits and negotiations with the landowner and the tenant, workers were finally seen at the site a few weeks ago dismantling the site office.

Buckinghamshire Council has confirmed the stop notice and the enforcement notice have now been “fully complied with”.

Gary Hall, the deputy cabinet member for planning and regeneration (enforcement) at the council, said: “This is a great result for our enforcement team and for local residents and businesses who had raised concerns.

“Whilst we are not against local businesses innovating and expanding, it must be done within the legal parameters which did not happen in this instance.

“We are grateful to the tenant and landlord for their cooperation throughout and we are happy to welcome legitimate applications for suitable new business ventures across the county as long as they are made through the correct channels.”