AN unofficial airport car park, which is currently operating without planning permission, is causing misery to Timperley residents living nearby.

The car park, which is situated on Clay Lane, is operational 24 hours a day and up to 200 vehicles can be on site at one time.

Councillors unanimously refused to grant planning permission to operators Day by Day Parking when its retrospective application went before planning committee in July, but Day by Day continues to operate the car park and, indeed, has submitted a new, slightly altered application.

Ward councillors Cllr Bernard Sharp and Cllr Dylan Butt have both expressed sympathy for the residents, who say the site creates constant noise disturbance and is also becoming a crime hotspot.

Louise Westwater, moved into her Clay Lane home in June last year and was told the car park would be gone by the time she moved in.

"Men turn up in the middle of the night and start moving cars, so I don't know if it;s car park people or burglars," said Mrs Westwater.

"Gangs of teenagers turn up to check out the cars and gangs of adult men as well.

"There have been cars broken into and I live in a bungalow which is completely open plan so it's frightening for my children."

Fellow resident, Mike Harrison, who lives on nearby Wellfield Lane, said he feels Day by Day is misusing the planning process and is doing everything it can to prolong the situation.

Mr Harrison said he and fellow residents are also unhappy about the amount of time they have had to voice their objections to the new application.

"The new application was datedJuly 14 and the council did not send the notice until August 11 and no one received it until August 14. "There was no need for them to wait all this time when they could have given the residents sufficient time to respond as we were then in the middle of the holiday period.

"To quote politicians: "It's a very good time to bury bad news."

A spokesman for Trafford Council said: "Trafford Council confirmed that, as is standard procedure, the consultation notification letters for both the original and revised planning applications were both issued advising of a 21 day consultation period, which commenced from the date the letter was issued."

Manchester Airport confirmed to Messenger that it is not affiliated to the Day by Day car park.