Takeaway plans rejected
Plans to turn a shop into a hot food takeaway have been thrown out by Lichfield councillors following fears the changes would make existing traffic and parking problems even worse.
Residents and councillors who objected to the proposals said there was already a fish and chip shop, Cantonese takeaway and a convenience store just a few doors away from the Swallow Croft retail unit earmarked to become an Indian takeaway – and they had experienced verbal abuse and witnessed collisions on the road.
The retail unit has previously been an angling supplies store and is currently a cake shop. Plans to convert it into a restaurant were turned down in 2019, when the highways authority objected to the application. But it accepted the latest proposals, Monday’s Lichfield District Council planning committee meeting heard.
A report to the committee said: “No off-street car parking is provided for the benefit of the proposal with the consequence that all vehicle parking must generally take place within the highway. The HA considered that the accumulated demand for car parking of a restaurant use at this would lead to an unacceptable impact on the highway.
“A takeaway use would not be expected to lead to anything like the same demand for car parking. The disadvantage caused by a take-away use is more related to the potential for drivers pulling up and parking for convenience at undesirable locations, such as would be the case with a busy junction, zebra crossing, or where there are waiting restrictions to prevent undesirable parking. There are no such undesirable locations in the vicinity of this site where short stay parking would lead to particular issues that are not already potentially present by virtue of the trips in connection with the existing lawful use of the site as a shop.”
Resident Sandra Bradburn, who spoke against the application at Monday’s meeting, spoke of existing issues on the street however.
She said: “I am very aware of the considerable disruption and unpleasantness already currently being experienced here, including antisocial behaviour, noise pollution, parking obstructions, odours and rubbish. These have been highlighted as being distressing and difficult to live with by many residents, with some even reporting that it has had a very serious impact on their mental health and wellbeing.
“For residents in Swallows Reach it is very rare to be able to enter, leave or park outside their homes in a safe manner or without being verbally threatened or abused every single weekend. These issues and dangers are so evident and must be addressed even if this application is rejected.
“Even with the current evening businesses in this small street the risks and disruption to the flow of traffic, parking and even being able to safely walk along the footpath are significant. I have already been witness to frequent road traffic collisions and near misses here, which could quite easily have resulted in more serious physical injuries – and at worst death.
“This application if approved will just compound the situation even more.”
Ward councillor Joanne Grange reported the application to the planning committee because of concerns about design, highways implications and impact on residential amenity.
Speaking on behalf of residents opposed to the application she said: “There are already two takeaways and a late night store in this parade of shops and a third takeaway will greatly exacerbate the existing problems. If you approve this application there will be three takeaways and a late night store within five doors of each other on a narrow road in a 20mph residential zone.
“A restaurant application was refused in October last year. Applications must be considered on their own merits but I’m sure as part of your research you have noted the similarities between the previous refused application and this new application.
“As a result the reasons for the last refusal remain valid to this application – and arguably a takeaway would have more impact on residents’ amenity and highway safety than an 18-cover restaurant. Any users of the new takeaway would be fighting for on-street parking with customers of the other two; metaphorical, not actual fighting, we would hope.
“In the evening especially there is already double parking on the highway and parking on pavements, creating highway safety issues to other drivers and pedestrians who are forced to walk in the road.”
Lichfield District Council received 17 letters and an objection from the city council to the application, which was recommended for approval by planning officers, subject to conditions, ahead of Monday’s meeting,
But planning committee members went against this recommendation and voted to refuse permission on the grounds the application went against council policies on residential amenity, access and highway safety. There were 11 votes for refusal and three abstentions.
