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Lewes and Eastbourne
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Agenda item

3-5 Carlisle Road: Application ID: 161339.

Minutes:

Proposed extension to rear of property to create enlarged kitchen and restaurant and repositioning of female WC – MEADS.   

 

Members were advised that one additional condition was recommended, stipulating that no further windows could be built to the rear of the property without the approval of the local authority, to avoid windows being inserted to the rear of the extended premises under permitted development rules.

 

The Specialist Advisor (Environmental Health) had confirmed that whilst noise complaints have previously been received in relation to the plant installed to the rear of Little Italy, those complaints had not been substantiated.  If there were further complaints the problem could be dealt with using the Environmental protection Act 1990- Nuisance.

 

Two further consultation responses had been received and were reported as follows:

 

-   Parking availability was limited in area surrounding the application site. People who use facility would want to access site by car. Parking demand for facility would extend beyond 40 additional covers to include staff.

-   Many residential blocks did not have parking and rely on existing street network.

-   Dispute that there was a surrounding network of public car parks in close proximity to the site.

-   Site was not well located for public transport given that number three bus ceases to operate after 6pm.

-   Unless windows were fixed shut noise from them would travel to surrounding residential properties.

-   It was not true that there were public car parks nearby that serve the area sufficiently.

-   Car park adjacent to Devonshire Park tennis courts was normally full during the summer.

-   Request that Zone N be made exclusive for local residents.

 

Mr Koonjal addressed the committee in objection stating that there were issues with noise from the current restaurant and that the extension would increase with the proposed extension.

 

Mrs Granger addressed the committee in objection stating that the extension and additional covers would exacerbate the existing parking problems.

 

Mr Kadhemi requested that the Specialist Advisor for Planning read the following statement:

 

“It had been brought to our attention that some local people had concerns about the proposal and wish to speak against it.  If approval was granted it would increase the size of the Restaurant and allow room for an extra three to four tables.

 

Please note the existing rear room adjacent to the ladies toilet was currently part of the restaurant.  Therefore, the actual additional number of covers proposed amounts to a maximum of 10 to 16 and not 40 as previously suggested.  Our attached ‘proposed ground floor’ drawing had been revised to clarify the position.

 

Various comments had been made regarding the lack of parking spaces in the area, and the additional parking problems that could arise by encouraging extra people to the Restaurant at any one time.  Many visitors to the Restaurant live locally and would walk or hire a taxi.  The car owning visitors who were in the town on holiday will have already obtained a parking space close to where they were staying, and, again, would often walk.   Others visit Eastbourne specifically for a theatre trip which they combine with a meal.  Many would park in a nearby car park so that they were close to the theatres.

 

Therefore, the number of extra cars as a direct result of the proposed additional restaurant seating would be negligible.

 

Another concern was the potential increase in noise.  However, the clientele were mainly elderly people who visit the restaurant for a nice meal and a chat.  They were not ‘loud’.  Any music was purely in the background and would continue to be so.  It was a quiet ‘family’ restaurant where older people like to sit and talk.  It was not a bar or nightclub and closes at around 10pm.  No additional extraction fan was proposed.

 

The main reason for the alterations was to provide a disabled toilet as a service for the elderly and disabled people who visit the premises.  

 

Finally we would like to mention that the Carlisle Road/Devonshire Park area was regarded as the ‘jewel’ in Eastbourne’s tourism ‘crown’.  Approving this application, and thereby encouraging an already long established business to thrive and expand, would help maintain the Town’s tourist industry for many years to come.”

 

RESOLVED: (Unanimous) That permission be granted subject to the following conditions: 1) Development within three years 2) Development in accordance with approved plans 3) Obscure glazing and limited window openings to be implemented as per the approved plans 4) No further windows to be built to the rear of the premises without planning permission.

 

Informative:

 

The decision does not authorise installation of new plant at premises.

 

 

Supporting documents: