AN EXTENSION to the Morrisons supermarket in Whitehaven has been mooted with the council.

Copeland Borough Council has received the application for planning permission, which if approved, would see the installation of a WeBuyAnyCar pod.

Access to the pod would be via the existing Morrisons car park and through the retail park.

Explaining their proposal, the applicant said: “The nature of the business operating from the site is such that customers are offered an online quotation for the sale of their vehicle which, if accepted, can be taken at one of 140 local purchasing points across the UK.

“By locality the service conveniently within the car park of the existing Morrisons store, and providing quotes prior to customer coming to the pod, WeBuyAnyCar.com aim to provide a sustainable service coinciding with existing local travel and parking patterns.”

In their supporting statements, Morrisons said that the pod would be environmentally friendly.

“The pod proposed is the ‘off grid’ model, which generates electricity from PV solar located on the roof, with heating generated by combustion of HVO fuel.”

They say that the prefabricated modular single storey pod will be constructed with high quality, environmentally efficient, factory controlled construction techniques.

Morrisons believe that their car park is the only logical place for the pod.

“Due to the operation outlined above we feel that a sequential test would not be appropriate for this application. As a town centre location would require a large car park which can accommodate the pod, up to 10 cars possibly staying for 72 hours.”

They say that the scheme “seeks to revitalise the existing Morrisons car park by offering more choice to customers and generating new employment opportunities through the provision of a WeBuyAnyCar.com pod.

“Wm Morrison Supermarkets Ltd hope that the advantages of this proposal as well as the overall benefits to the local community will be supported.”