Food for thought
SIR, — Your readers may be unaware of an appeal to the Secretary of State by Domino Pizza Group Ltd to open a takeaway at 28 Station Road, Harpenden. The planning application was turned down by both Harpenden Town Council and St Albans District Council. T
SIR, - Your readers may be unaware of an appeal to the Secretary of State by Domino Pizza Group Ltd to open a takeaway at 28 Station Road, Harpenden. The planning application was turned down by both Harpenden Town Council and St Albans District Council.
The lingerie/swimwear shop Chiffon (at 26 Station Road) is fighting for the third time to stop this becoming a food outlet. The first time the owners wished to open an Indian restaurant. This went to appeal but was withdrawn at the last minute.
The second time Subway opened - it is not necessary to change the class from A1 retail for a sandwich outlet. Now the planning application is for change of use from A1 Retail to A5 takeaway.
Retailers in Station Road are struggling as more retail vacancies have become restaurants. Soon the public will only visit Station Road in the evening to eat at a restaurant.
The town and district councils appreciate this fact and turned the application down on grounds of "loss of a retail shop unit which is detrimental to the vitality and viability of shopping in Station Road", "cumulative adverse environmental impact on Station Road" and "loss of an historic shop front".
Chiffon is appealing to the residents of Harpenden to write to the Secretary of State to recommend this appeal is refused. Station Road has reached saturation point with 14 restaurants/takeaways/cafes resulting in a serious loss of "foot-fall".
Most Read
- 1 Former Harpenden primary school teacher jailed for 138 years
- 2 Man seen walking 'naked from waist down' in Harpenden
- 3 Elderly woman chased knife-wielding stranger from her bedroom
- 4 US star George Clooney spotted directing new film in Hertfordshire
- 5 Taxi stopped with ‘tyre below legal tread depth’ on A41
- 6 Armed police seize machete from Sandpit Lane in St Albans
- 7 St Albans skatepark inviting newcomers to join community
- 8 Police probe into death of man in 20s at 'Kinky Towers' in Hertfordshire
- 9 Rapist jailed for 15 years after kidnapping teen in Hemel Hempstead
- 10 Platinum Jubilee: Hertfordshire's royal visits in pictures
We know what busy lives people lead these days but please could residents take a few minutes to put pen to paper. The deadline to receive letters is Tuesday, February 17, and the address is: Secretary of State, The Planning Inspectorate, Room 3/16, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Temple Quay, Bristol BS1 6PN (quote reference APP/B1930/A/09/2093452/NWF).
Alternatively there is an online appeals service which can be found at www.planningportal.gov.uk/pcs
JUDITH BAILEY (and staff),
Chiffon, Station Road, Harpenden.