Agenda item

Report of Head of Planning

(copy herewith)

Ward: Abington

The Head of Planning submitted a report in respect of application number N/2010/0693, elaborated thereon and referred to the Addendum that set out further comments from Environmental Health, representations from residents in Manfield Road and revised wording of condition two if consent were to be granted. In answer to a question, the Head of Planning reported that Environmental Health were satisfied with the revised scheme for the extraction of cooking smells.

Councillor B. Hoare as the Ward Councillor, noted that this application was about a change of use and its impact. He still had concerns in respect of the impact of the flue to the first floor offices and the gable end of the building. These situations were often left to enforcement to ensure that conditions were complied with. He was concerned that there could be unintended consequences to residents if the application were to be approved. He welcomed the amendment of Condition 2 in respect of the hours of opening. There remained, however issues concerning the front curtilage of the premises that he believed was not the responsibility of the County Council but was the responsibility of the owner. He requested that a condition be added to any consent in respect of littering and maintenance of the front curtilage pavement.

Sally Stroman, on behalf of the applicant, commented that her client had worked with the Council to protect the amenity of residents. The main focus of the premises was the Wellingborough Road. She noted that Environmental Health had now approved the extraction system and that her client would be happy to accept the revised Condition 2. She believed that parking provision in the Wellingborough Road was adequate; there was an unrestricted parking bay (after 6.00pm) to the front of the premises. There was also a litter bin outside the premises. Sally Stroman commented that the premises had received consent for A2 use earlier in the year but there had been no interest in the premises for this use when it had been advertised. The owner had taken steps to improve the appearance of the premises. She believed that the proposal would not be detrimental to the local centre and requested that the Committee approve the application. In answer to a question Sally commented that her client would be happy to maintain the litter bin in between visits by street cleansing. It was noted that there were several other litter bins in the vicinity. In response to another question she commented that the owner believed that the front curtilage to the premises was not in his ownership.

The Head of Planning commented that NCC had indicated that they maintained the front curtilage of the premises. He noted that this issue should be dealt with independently of determining the application.

The Committee discussed the application.

RESOLVED:    That the application be approved subject to the conditions set out in the report and as amended by the Addendum as the principle of a takeaway use in a recognised centre is acceptable and in accordance with Policy R9 of the Northampton Local Plan. By reason of the site’s relationship with neighbouring residential properties and the adequacy of the local highway network and subject to controls limiting the hours of use and collection, treatment and dispersal of cooking smells, the proposed use would not have a detrimental impact on the amenity of nearby and adjoining residents or highway safety in accordance with Policy R9 of the Northampton Local Plan and the aims and objectives of PPG13 and PPG24.