Agenda item

To determine the application.

David Rowen presented the report to members.

Members made comments, asked questions and received responses as follows:

·       Councillor Benney stated that he can see why the business wants to change the frontage, he tried to do this with his shop but it was not favourably looked on by the Council, as if you have the door in the centre from a shop perspective it is a waste of space either side of the door and Savers is also a shop that always put their counters to one side so by moving the door over it will increase the sales area of the shop and it will improve the customer flow around the shop. He added that he knows that people use doorways to sleep in or as a toilet if it is set back and if the door is flat to the front it helps. Councillor Benney expressed the view that this proposal makes perfect sense for the shop, he visited Wisbech and wandered around the Market Place and it is full of empty shops and it looks derelict, the buildings are in a poor state of repair, it is a rundown area and if anyone is going to spend any money to improve it he would be fully supportive. He feels that if more shops or businesses could spend money on their shops it would improve the area, the Market Place has been refurbished but it has a lot of empty shops and a bad feel about it. Councillor Benney stated that although it is a Listed Building he does not feel the proposal will bring any significant harm to the building and businesses need to protect and safeguard their premises so roller shutters are required, when the shop is open the shutters will be up and he thinks it is a good application from a retail point of view, it is in a retail area and the committee should be supporting it.

·       Councillor Mrs French stated that she visited the site and had not been to Wisbech for some time being amazed at the number of empty shops. She feels the owners of this shop deserve a medal wanting to invest into the shop rather than shut down and she will be supporting the proposal.

·       Councillor Imafidon agreed with the comments of Councillors Benney and Mrs French, he will be supporting the application as he lives in Wisbech and goes into town on a daily basis and he knows the impact that vandalism has on shop fronts, with a number of shops having their windows smashed. He stated that he is Portfolio Holder for Heritage but at the same time the high street needs to be protected by allowing businesses to stay open, with there being too many empty shops in Wisbech and another one should not be encouraged.

·       Councillor Purser echoed the comments of the other councillors, businesses should be encouraged, with the proposal cleaning and tidying the shop front up and it encourages people to go in and use the shop so it can only be good for all concerned.

·       David Rowen clarified the nature of the application in that the doorway will still be a recessed doorway and will not be flush with the frontage. He stressed that the property is a Listed Building and there is a duty in law to give great weight to protecting that Listed Building.

F/YR25/0847/LB

Proposed by Councillor Benney, seconded by Councillor Imafidon and agreed that the application be GRANTED against the officer’s recommendation, with authority delegated to officers to apply conditions.

F/YR25/0846/F

Proposed by Councillor Benney, seconded by Councillor Imafidon and agreed that the application be GRANTED against the officer’s recommendation, with authority delegated to officers to apply conditions.

Members do not support officer’s recommendation of refusal of planning permission as they feel that there would be no adverse harm to the Listed Building, they are supporting a business which is looking to invest in Wisbech, with there being many empty or boarded up shops in Wisbech that is detrimental to the area and the shutters are required for security.

(Councillor Imafidon registered, in accordance with Paragraph 14 of the Code of Conduct on Planning Matters, that he is a member of Wisbech Town Council but takes no part in planning)