Plan to open sweet shop in West Bromwich home is rejected
A bid to open a south Asian sweet shop in a West Bromwich home has been thrown out by a government planning inspector.
Sandwell Council refused a planning application to convert the house in Walsall Road, Stone Cross, West Bromwich, into a sweet shop, saying it would cause too many problems for neighbours.
The decision was appealed to a government planning inspector but has been thrown out after they agreed it would create issues.
The inspector said the business would “disturb” neighbours through noise and odours and it had not been shown the new shop would meet a “specific day-to-day need” and could not be better suited in an existing unit in an established centre.
The inspector said: “Whilst there are other commercial activities present nearby, the proposal would introduce a new commercial use which would generate noise and smells into a residential enclave between commercial areas and in very close proximity to dwellings, the occupiers of which would be adversely affected by the noise, disturbance and odours associated with the proposed use.”
Last year Sandwell Council said the planned conversion of the semi-detached house by Deepak Verma would create extra noise and odours for neighbours and add to existing parking problems – adding the shop was “inappropriate” for the largely residential area.
A total of 11 objections by neighbours were received against the plans when the application was submitted last year.
The council’s highways officers also objected to the new shop, saying the plans only provided a third of the required parking spaces and would add to existing problems, while its public health department also raised “serious” concerns about the plans over the potential for more noise and odours.
The council’s planning officers continued: “These types of Asian sweet centres increasingly also have an element of ancillary hot food takeaway, and although this is not specified in the submission documents, they do utilise the services of fast-food delivery companies.
“This would result in increased comings and goings to the premises that would affect residential amenity and also increase demand on street parking.”
