Agenda item

Full Application - Erection of Two Storey Building with a Bakery and Cafe on the Ground Floor and Residential Accommodation on the First Floor at Bridge Inn, Hawarden Road, Hope (052143)

Decision:

            That the application be deferred to allow a site visit to be undertaken. 

 

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report of the Chief Officer (Planning and Environment) in respect of this application.  The usual consultations had been undertaken and the responses received detailed in the report.  Additional comments received since the preparation of the report were circulated at the meeting. 

 

                        The officer detailed the background to the report and referred Members to the late observations where three further objections were reported.  The proposal would result in the loss of eight car parking spaces but as it anticipated that the bakery and café would not be opened at the same time as the existing public house, this was considered to be acceptable.  Concerns had also been raised on the issue of access to the narrow entrance to the car park but it was felt that the wide area to the front of the pub would be a suitable waiting area for the short amount of time a car would have to wait.  It was not considered that the proposal would have an impact on the residential amenity of the area.  As the site was adjacent to a river, a Flood Consequences Assessment had accompanied the application and it was concluded that the site was at low risk of fluvial flooding but the comments of Natural Resources Wales (NRW) were awaited.  The application was recommended for approval subject to no negative comments from NRW. 

 

                        Miss H. Tou, the applicant, spoke in support of the application.  She said that the proposal was for a small bakery and café which would make traditional artisan products.  The proposal would create new jobs and would benefit the local economy.  The Bridge Inn public house had been running for nine years without any problems on access and vehicles waiting to turn into the site could see oncoming traffic and Highways did not have any objections to the proposal.  The opening hours would not be the same as for the public house which would ensure that there was sufficient parking for both facilities.  Miss Tou added that there was only one café in the area but no bakery and she asked the Committee to approve the application to bring specialities into the local community. 

 

                        Councillor Richard Jones proposed the recommendation for approval which was duly seconded.  Councillor David Cox proposed an amendment to defer the application for a site visit, which was also duly seconded.  In response, Councillor R. Jones felt that a site visit was not required and added that there was sufficient space for cars to pass.  Councillors Mike Peers and Gareth Roberts concurred and said that they had seen the plan and presentation of the application and that there would be no benefit to having a site visit. 

 

                        The Local Member, Councillor Stella Jones, said that it was a valued business but that she did have concerns.  She felt that a site visit was appropriate to allow the Committee to see the access to the site, which was narrow and at an angle, which they could not see from the presentation.  The proposed building would take up a lot of space and would reduce the outside area and Councillor Jones queried whether delivery lorries would be able to access the bakery/café.  She felt that the proposed new café would cause increased traffic problems between 8am to 9.30am and 3pm to 6pm.  

 

                        In summing up, Councillor Richard Jones said that he respected the Local Member but said that as Highways had said that the access was viable, there was no reason to defer the application for a site visit.

 

                        On being put to the vote, the proposal to defer consideration of the application for a site visit was CARRIED.         

 

            RESOLVED:

 

            That the application be deferred to allow a site visit to be undertaken. 

 

Supporting documents: