Plans to turn an empty warehouse in Keynsham into a karting track have been turned down by the local council.

The giant former I.J.McGill Transport warehouse near Waitrose has stood empty since 2022. But, in June, TeamSport submitted a planning application to Bath and North East Somerset Council to turn it into their next karting centre.

The company, which runs 35 karting centres around the country, said: “It will create approximately 40 new jobs and will deliver investment in the local economy.” But now the plans have been turned down for reducing employment space.

The plans were also refused on the grounds of reducing the amenity of neighbours. Local councillor Andy Wait (Keynsham East, Liberal Democrat) warned the karting track would cause “noise at unreasonable and unsocial times, damaging the quality of life and the health of those living close by.”

The plans had originally come before the planning committee in November, but councillors sent them back to the applicant, asking TeamSport to consider reducing their opening hours from closing at 11pm each night to closing at 7pm on Sundays and 10pm Monday to Thursday. But the company declined, stating that the shorter opening hours requested by the council would make the business not viable.

TeamSport said: “The application has robustly demonstrated that the proposal will not give rise to unacceptable impacts on neighbouring amenity; therefore, reducing the opening hours to the times suggested would not be necessary.”

Planning committee member Tim Warren (Midsomer Norton Redfield, Conservative) said it was “a shame” the company had not listened to them and reduced the hours. He said: “Who doesn’t like go-karting? I love go-karting, it’s great.”

But he said he had been on the fence beforehand and was concerned it was in the wrong place. He proposed refusing planning permission — despite the council’s planning officers recommending it go ahead.

Councillors on the committee voted 8-2 to refuse the plans.