Issue - meetings

The Committee received an application for Change of Use from A1 (Retail) to A3 (Restaurants and Cafes).

The Principal Planning Officer confirmed that the correct consultation process had been carried out.

The Committee Manager read out a letter of representation from a local resident who was unable to attending the meeting:

      i.         The resident had 35 years business experience on Mill Road.

    ii.         Mill Road prided itself on diversity reflected culturally by the business owners and the diverse nature of the goods and services provided.

   iii.         The current application did not protect diversity, once an A3 licence was granted it was unlikely to be removed.

  iv.         Expressed concerns that there may be little incentive to travel to Mill Road for a single book shop and no other surrounding retail options.

    v.         An A3 licence for restaurants and cafes was generic and made no commitment for the type of food that might be sold. Whilst he was a supporter of competition there must be a responsibility to support existing independent businesses.

  vi.         Commented that only a limited sample of businesses and individuals were notified about the application and some adjacent business who would be directly affected were not contacted.

 vii.         The application should be refused and retail licences should be upheld and protected. In an area already dominated by A3 businesses there did not need to be another. 

The Committee requested that an information on fire regulations be included.

The Committee:

Unanimously resolved to grant the application for planning permission in accordance with the Officer recommendation, for the reasons set out in the Officer’s report, subject to:

      i.         the planning conditions set out in the Officer’s report; and

    ii.         an informative included on the planning permission in respect of fire regulations.