Pizza takeaway plans get go-ahead from council

The as yet unnamed restaurant plans to be open 11am until 11pm every day of the week.

It will also employ 25 people, with 10 full-time and 15 part-time employees.

Residents have had mixed feelings about the plans with the main concerns being around the already busy junction and the abundance of other takeaways nearby. However supporters of the plans point to the benefit to the local economy.

It was not only villagers who were divided on the issue but also councillors.

Councillor Ian Sadler put a motion to the planning committee to reject the plans, which had been recommended for approval by officers.

Councillor Sadler told the planning committee: “The main problem, as perceived by the local people, is the traffic it will generate on that particularly awkward junction.

“I am extremely reluctant to see this go through, I really feel we should not be granting permission for it. I would go so far as to say I will move refusal on the grounds of traffic”

This caused a debate amongst officer because the vacant unit could have been used for a café or restaurant overnight without needing planning permission because it was currently a ‘class E’

A planning officer stated: “A restaurant is perfectly entitled to have an ancillary takeaway, so a takeaway element to it, as long as that is not the primary purpose. The reason we have a planning application in front of us for a takeaway is because that’s the primary purpose.”

Unfortunately for Councillor Sadler only three councillors supported his motion and therefore it was defeated.

Eventually the committee voted to accept the officers recommendation and granted the application with 13 councillors supporting the application.