Issue - meetings

Change of use from Class E(a) to Mixed Use for restaurant and takeaway (Class E(b) and Sui Generis); addition of HVAC plant, provision of vehicular access from Northway accommodating motorcycle and cycle parking with associated works at 94 – 102 High Street, Rickmansworth.

Recommendation: that planning permission be granted.

The application was for change of use from Class E(a) to Mixed Use for restaurant and takeaway (Class E(b) and Sui Generis); addition of HVAC plant, provision of vehicular access from Northway accommodating motorcycle and cycle parking with associated works at 94-102 High Street, Rickmansworth.

The application was before the Committee as it had been called in by three members of the Planning Committee to discuss the change of use and examine the rear access arrangements as proposed.

The Planning Officer provided an update that comments had been received from the Conservation Officer earlier in the day and had been circulated to members.  The Conservation Officer maintained no objection to the change of use but had raised some concerns with regard to the potential visibility of the acoustic fencing to the roof and the proposed alterations to the shop front entrance.

An amended list of recommended conditions had also been circulated to members.  Condition 2 had been updated to correct a reference to plan numbers, and the wording of some of the conditions relating to courier pick-ups had been tightened.  An additional condition had also been included requiring details to be submitted for the acoustic screening.

Councillor Lisa Hudson spoke against the application.

Councillor Diana Barber of Batchworth Community Council spoke against the application.

Committee members asked questions on the details of the application which were responded to by officers.  The Committee’s discussions included the following:

·        McDonald’s company policy was to conduct three litter picks per day, up to a 150m radius from the premises.  They also provided signage regarding recycling and supplied bins within the premises for this purpose.   Customers were also incentivised to recycle and dispose of rubbish through the use of ‘Litter Lotto’ app.  Details of the daily litter pick-ups would be conditioned via a management plan.

·        Customers would also have the opportunity to dispose of litter in the bins on the High Street.  A committee member commented that these bins already often became full with litter from existing businesses, and it was recommended that the Council be asked to look at the potential impact of litter arising from this proposal on the High Street bins.  Given that the food packaging to be used would be recyclable, the proposal to dispose of it on litter picks into the High Street bins would also result in recyclable waste going into general waste rather than being recycled.

·        A Construction Management Plan would be needed in order to require details of how the construction works to the rear and the lift shaft would take place, and to minimize the impact of the construction works on the High Street.

·        The applicant had indicated that they would install CCTV cameras within their site boundary, and this could be conditioned.  The High Street was also relatively well covered by CCTV cameras to pick up any anti-social behaviour. There were currently regular police patrols along the High Street.

·        The packaging to be used for the serving of food and drinks would be recyclable, and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 87