An application has been submitted to Cheshire East Council for the erection of an outdoor seating area at the front of Konak restaurant.
Plans for 27A London Road also include alterations to the shopfront and extension to the width of the canopy to cover the whole seating area.
This application, reference 12/4484M, is a resubmission of 12/2572M which was registered in July and withdrawn in September.
Earlier this year Konak built the existing outdoor seating area on the public highway without obtaining permission from Cheshire East Council. In May the Council issued them with 30 days notice to remove the outdoor seating area from the public highway, otherwise they would remove it for them - but no action was taken.
Speaking in June, Councillor Rod Menlove, Cabinet member in charge of the environment, said: "The owners of Konak were given 30 days notice to remove the seating area as it is considered to be an obstruction of the highway, contrary to the Highways Act 1980.
"Furthermore, they do not have planning permission and they have not applied for a licence in accordance with the Council's alfresco policy. The paved area outside these premises is public highway.
"If the seating area is not removed, the Council will arrange to remove it and recharge the cost. We have also written to Yara for the same reasons."
The Design and Access Statement says "In order to formalise the al fresco seating area a platform is to be constructed between the pavement level and the internal floor level to allow easier access into and out of the restaurant and also to match the appearance of other properties along the length of the street. The screen within the shopfront will allow fresh air and the noise of the street into the restaurant that will make the most of London Road's al fresco lifestyle.
"The canopy will be replaced by a new one that covers the whole frontage of the restaurant and the dilapidated appearance of the present canopy will therefore be removed.
"The introduction of the platform level between the internal floor level and the pavement will produce a gentler climb for the disabled, the elderly or parents with children."
The last date for submitting comments is 19th December and a decision is expected by 14th January 2013. Further details can be found on the Cheshire East Council website by searching for planning reference 12/4484M.
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
So, I'm sorry, but sometimes people have to adhere to the law and on this occasion there is no room for Yara or Konak to increase their personal space at the expense of the public highway !
The area between the edge of the kerb and the original buildings is only just adequate anyway BEFORE the illegal extra seating was created, so to make the space even smaller is not possible.
Added to the fact they built the extra seating area without permission should automatically ban them from being allowed any extra space, even if now applied for retrospectively !
The councli should carry out their lawful threat and pull the extra (illegal) seating down and charge them for this work.
The answer is simple .............If the owners of these two restaurants wanted extra space for outside seating, then they should have bought in a different location, still within Alderley Edge.
There is an increase in the volumes of people in the village and I find the front of Yara and Konak to narrow.
The point about glorified smoke shelters has got me thinking though and something I really didn't consider. I presumed they were there for al fresco drinking and eating which I think is a good idea, but thinking about it the space is very small for that!
Maybe Konak and Yarra can confirm the use?
If it were simply for smoking then I would totally change my mind as to their existence.
Dont be so narrow minded David, they are trying to make a living, and while i dont condone it, there are bigger things to worry about. Like im sure they pay their taxes for example, but do all the coffee shops in our villages pay their dues????
Getting back to Yara and Konak, what is wrong with implementing the law as it stands ?
These two restaurants have illegally built onto a public pavement. .......... where does it end ?
Would you object if, say, Tesco built out onto the pavement to increase shop space ?
Yara and Konak should not be allowed to do this, just to become successful, as you suggest.
There is already a limited space around that area, as previously stated.
If they want to succeed, maybe they should have found alternative premises where building out onto the pavement is allowed.
They are not permanent structures, and can be whipped down in an hour or so if deemed un safe or pose a REAL obstruction, so the empty threats from the council have been ignored and rightly so. Tesco wont do what you say because big business get what they want anyway when they come into small villages thru ways which shall not be mentioned on here, and the little guys have to fight back via means such as this.
Bravo Konak, Yara, et al.
As I say, forgive me but I don't understand this statement?