Agenda item

Application Proposal: Alterations and change of use of former sunday school to café/restaurant (Use class A3) to include removal of 2m of natural stone wall to form pedestrian access and erection of covered walkway.  Display of 2 No. fascia signs, 1 No. hanging sign and exterior lighting

The Planning Officer introduced the report and with the aid of slides and photographs summarised the details of the application and outlined the key considerations.  He confirmed that 7 objections from 5 different households and 3 letters of support had been received.  A further letter had been received from the Parish Council confirming that they were content with the parking situation.  The Planning Officer read a further letter of objection from a local resident requesting a condition to obscure the glass on the windows overlooking the churchyard.  The Planning Officer’s recommendation was for approval subject to conditions.  He proposed an additional condition to ensure that details of external lighting would be submitted and agreed prior to commencement.

In response to questions from Members, the Planning Officer confirmed that:-

·         The building was in the ownership of the applicant;

·         The Conservation Officer was content for the windows to the eastern elevation to be obscure glazed.

The Committee was addressed by I Hall, representing Merriott Parish Council.  He made the following points:

·         The Parish Council was satisfied that up to 300m of parking was available most of the day;

·         No objections had been received from the Church or the School;

·         Referred to the tranquillity of the area being important but felt on balance that the proposal would not cause a disturbance;

·         The lighting and signage was very modest;

·         The room was currently redundant and had to have a future use.

A Bibb, an objector to the application raised the following concerns:

·         Concerns over highway safety due to the busy road;

·         Close to School, Church and Pre-school and was very hectic at dropping off and picking up times;

·         Loss of privacy for people tending graves near to the building;

·         The facility would destroy the tranquillity of the area;

·         Concerns over illuminated signs;

·         No need for the development in the village.

The Committee was addressed by J Wilson, one of the applicants.  She referred to her love of the countryside and the intention to open a cycle café.  They had put a lot of hard work into the business venture, left long term careers and hoped to provide a worthwhile facility for Merriott.

The Applicant’s Agent, C Allers Hankey made the following points:

·         The development was an opportunity to create a small local business, would generate employment and invest in a building that had been vacant for five years;

·         The majority of footfall would not arrive by car however on-street parking was available.  A D1 use of the building had the potential to generate a more significant parking use;

·         No objections had been raised by local residents;

·         The outside seating area was small which would restrict the number of users;

·         The building could accommodate a number of uses without planning permission.

Ward Member, Cllr. Paul Maxwell referred to the various issues that had been raised with the application including the building being listed, adjacent to the Church and an active burial ground, lighting, views from the window, parking and opening times.  He referred to the need to be sensitive of the residents living nearby and people visiting the church yard.  Overall, he felt that the proposal would be of benefit to the village and was broadly supportive of the application.

During the discussion, members expressed their support for the application but felt that an additional condition was required to suitably obscure the window overlooking the church yard.

It was proposed and seconded to approve the application as per the Planning Officer’s recommendation subject to the following additional conditions:

·         Details of external lighting to be submitted and agreed prior to commencement

·         The windows to the eastern elevation shall be obscure glazed 

On being put to the vote the proposal was unanimously supported.