Address:       61 Hitchin Street, Biggleswade, SG18 8BE

Change of use of ground floor restaurant (No. 61) and vacant (former) undertaker (No 63) into residential dwellings. 2No. existing first floor apartments to remain as existing.  Associated elevational alterations.

Applicant:     Baystrait Properties Ltd

The Committee had before it a report regarding Planning Application CB/17/04479/FULL for a change of use of ground floor restaurant (no.61) and vacant (former) undertaker (no.63) into residential dwellings. 2 no. existing first floor apartments to remain as existing at 61 Hitchin Street, Biggleswade, SG18 8BE.

In advance of consideration of the application the Committee’s attention was drawn to additional/publicity responses as set out in the Late Sheet.  In addition the planning officer read out additional information that she had received from the applicant setting out the terms under which the tenant of the ground floor Indian restaurant had agreed to surrender his lease, vacate the premises and withdraw his objection to the application.  The Committee noted that the tenant was to relocate elsewhere within Biggleswade.

The planning officer also informed the meeting that she had received a letter from the owner of the Indian restaurant stating that the latter had now withdrawn his objection to the application.

No representations were received by the Committee under the public participation scheme.

The Chairman reported that the application had been called in by a ward Member who was unable to attend the meeting due to work commitments.  However, at the ward Member’s request, the Chairman read out the reasons supplied by the ward Member in support of refusing the application.  The Chairman then raised the issue of why some planning applications were called in by Members, the reasons used to justify doing so and their validity.  He suggested that the rules regarding the calling in of applications should be made clear at the next meeting of the Committee, which was the first in the new municipal year.

The Committee considered the application and in summary discussed the following:

·         A Member stated that he had no issue with the application in principle.  He referred to the usual stance taken by the Biggleswade Chamber of Trade on the loss of retail business in the town and expressed relief that the applicant had compensated the existing tenant and that the tenant had found alternative premises.

On being put to the vote 11 Members voted for approval, 0 voted against and 1 abstained.

RESOLVED

that Planning Application No. CB/17/04479/FULL relating to 61 Hitchin Street, Biggleswade, SG18 8BE be approved as set out in the Schedule attached to these minutes.