Agenda item

Change of use from class A1 to a mixed use class A1/A3 coffee shop and Installation of 1x internally illuminated facia sign and 1x internally illuminated projecting sign.

Recommendation : Approval

Change of use from class A1 to a mixed use class A1/A3 coffee shop.

In accordance with the Council’s constitution a representative of the petitioners objecting to the proposal and the agent addressed the meeting.

The petitioner made the following points:-

• Objections sent in had not been included in the officer’s report.
• The change of use should be rejected as retention of the shop was critical for the continuity of  The Arena.
• Any change of use would affect he ethos of The Arena as it had a mixed use that benefits the wider community.
• There was a diverse range of uses and there was a need to protect the shops and facilities.
•  Small independent uses were will represented in The Arena.
• The unit had already been converted with blatant disregard for the planning process.
• The units when built were to help existing business not those that could be found on the High Street.
• The diversity of the area would be destroyed and small vibrant individualism of the units would be lost.
• The Arena could not support all the catering outlets on site; this would lead to its decline and the possibility of vacant units.
• Costa would bring nothing to The Arena.
• All units in The Arena are opposed to the change of use.
• There had been no allowance made for the additional rubbish that this use would create.
• The committee was asked to defer the application to enable a site visit to be undertaken.

The agent made the following points:-

• The report speaks for itself.
• The change of use was from a hairdresser to a mixed A1/A3 for Costa coffee.
• The proposed business was Hillingdon based.
• The Arena was a commercial area with no residential properties.  
• Concerned at the opening hours being proposed, the applicant would want staff to be on site from 6 am. to prepare for opening.
• The delivery hours being proposed were not necessary as there are no nearby residents.
• The use was appropriate in the area, providing high quality snacks to local businesses and visitors. 

The Ward Councillor made the following points:-

• Work started on the premises a few days after the shop closed on 29 September.
• If allowed the hours of use should be in line with the other uses in The Arena.
• Conditions 6 & 8 required details of the ventilation and litter bins to be submitted and approved.  How can this be done when permission not yet granted.
• The applicant had shown a blatant disregard for the Local Authority by going ahead with work on the unit.
• The shop was planning to open shortly.
• Requested that the application be deferred to enable a site visit to take place.

The Chairman asked for clarification of the opening hours of other unites within The Arena.

Officers advised the committee that they were unable to clarify the opening hours of the other units, as they did not have details at the meeting.

The committee felt that the same hours of operation should be imposed for this unit as currently exist for the other units.  The committee was informed by the petitioners that work had started on the unit did these works conform to OM1.  There were also concerns raised in relation to the encroachment of the footway and whether the canopy was in keeping with the street scene.   The committee felt that they did not have the full information in front of them and would not be a happy making a decision.  They also felt that the application should be deferred, this would enable members to also make a site visit.

It was moved and seconded that the application be deferred for further information and a site visit.  On being put to the vote deferment was agreed.

Resolved – That the application be deferred for further information to be provided and a site visit.