Plans to open a PizzaExpress in the village have hit a stumbling block because Cheshire East Council has refused to grant a change of use for the building located at the junction of London Road and Stevens Street.
Perlada Properties submitted a planning application in March for the change of use of the former off-licence and bookmakers to enable PizzaExpress to open a restaurant in the village centre.
The application also sought permission to make alterations to the building which included a new shop front facing London Road and opening up of the shop front facing Stevens Street.
The Council refused to grant a change the use of the ground floor, from retail (class A1) to restaurant (class A3), on the grounds that would have a negative impact on the vitality of the shopping area and was unneighbourly.
According to the decision notice: "The proposed development involves the loss of a retail unit which would result in a concentration of non Class A1 uses on London Road thereby reducing the dominant shopping characteristics and leading to a loss in the vitality and viability of the shopping area. The proposal is therefore contrary to policy AEC1 of the Macclesfield Borough Local Plan.
It also stated that "The proposed use would cause unacceptable levels of noise to the detriment of the amenities of the occupiers of nearby residential property. The approval of the development would therefore be contrary to national planning policy guidance, Cheshire 2016: Structure Plan Alteration policy GEN7 and Macclesfield Borough Local Plan policies DC3 and DC54, thereby causing harm to the objectives of those policies."
A number residents from the surrounding roads objected to this application and both the Edge Association and Alderley Edge Parish Council recommended it for refusal.
The Parish Council recommended refusal on the grounds that "in the first instance, the decision by the Appeals Inspector to rule that this site should not be used for A3 precludes approval of this plan."
They added "In the matter of the size and scale of the proposed unit, the impact on the neighbouring residential properties, on Steven Street, is unneighbourly and will severely impact on the residential amenity of those properties. Deliveries, refuse collection, residential nature of the streets to be used for access and egress of vehicles involved in these services, plus the number of customers to the site all add up to an unacceptable impact on the mentioned residences at times of the day which can be considered unacceptable."
Planning application 12/0137M can be viewed on the Cheshire East Council planning portal.
Comments
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Pizza Express would have created numerous jobs for locals in the village, not to mention all the extra individual Taxes and National Insurance Contributions that would benefit the country, plus the extra contributions towards Council Taxes and Rates.
The villagers would also benefit by having an extra fast food outlet.
It would also shake up other outlets that have got lazy and complacent !
Wake Up Council !!!