A horticultural retail outlet is applying to establish a hand car wash operation on its premises as part of broader development proposals.
Highdown Garden Centre, located in Angmering, has filed planning documents seeking approval for the facility, which would occupy the south-western section of its existing car park.
The scheme encompasses a washing zone beneath a canopy structure and a 13-square-metre portable cabin to accommodate employees and storage requirements.
The car wash would function in line with standard garden centre trading times, running from 9am to 5.30pm on weekdays and Saturdays, with reduced Sunday hours of 10am to 4pm.
The operation would service between two and four vehicles each hour and require six of the available 178 parking bays.
Four personnel would be recruited to manage the facility.
Patrons could additionally request protective wax treatments and interior cleaning services.
The venture is projected to accommodate a maximum of 35 vehicles daily, consuming approximately 1,750 litres of water during high-demand periods, with this water being filtered and directed into the centre’s current drainage infrastructure.
A distinct planning submission for the location also proposes removing the existing canopy structures and installing replacement versions, along with constructing a new lobby area for the on-site coffee shop.
The present open-sided retail canopies have been in place for 25 years and show signs of wear.
They are also considered insufficient to accommodate the garden centre’s expanded selection of potted plants and decorative garden items, with their area set to increase substantially from 628 square metres to 1,127 square metres.
The Lisher family, proprietors of the adjacent Cobbins Nursery, acquired Highdown Garden Centre in 2019.
Cobbins, which cultivates in excess of one million specimens annually, provides the garden centre with a significant portion of its horticultural products.
The venue also houses a dining establishment offering breakfast and lunch service every day.