PLANS for a new takeaway in High Crompton are certainly not to the taste of local councillors as they recommended refusal for the plans.
The application for change of use from a newsagents shop to a hot food takeaway at 166 Trent Road has been submitted to Oldham Council.
The design and access statement states: “The existing property is an end terrace shop with a flat at first floor.
“The existing ground floor is used as a shop and newsagents. The volume of sale is so poor that to pay monthly utility bills is difficult.
“The owner is willing to change the use of ground floor premises (Shop A1) into Takeaway (A5) to increase his income. Only minor refurbishment is required to convert it into takeaway.
“The existing front appearance will have no effect on the surrounding buildings.
“The current access to takeaway and first floor will remain. There is no issue of parking at front.”
However, when the proposal came before the planning committee of Shaw and Crompton Parish Council at their October meeting, they voted to recommend refusal.
They highlighted “negative impacts on residents, particularly bungalow 168, for noise, smell and opening hours, as well as inconsistencies, errors and shortcomings in the application”.
Cllr Tracey Bland commented: “If we are putting a hot food takeaway in a residential area we must make sure it does not affect residents with noise, smell or disturbance.
“The chimney and flue needed for the takeaway must not have a detrimental effect on the amenities in the area. But a proposed steel chimney right in the middle of the residential area will definitely have an effect.
“It is going to be visible in everyone’s back gardens, with potentially horrendous smells and noise.”
Cllr Richard Marbrow added: “There is not a hot food takeaway that does not deliver so that is going to create clear traffic issue as the drivers will be parking outside as well as any customers coming in.
“It is fairly clear to me that if this application is approved, the quality of life of the residents nearby would be impacted immensely.
“We are not short on takeaways so I am objecting to this quite heavily.”
About 10 members of the public attended the meeting to raise concerns about the application, and their written petition gained more than 100 signatures in a week.
Andrew Riley said confusion was caused as a notice in the shop window claimed the premises would be open from 6am-noon as a newsagents and from 4pm-11pm as a takeaway.
However, the notice was subsequently removed and the submitted design and access statement says opening hours will be from 11am-11pm for a takeaway.
Another local raised concerns over the large bin that would be needed for the takeaway, and potential issues around blocking access.
She explained: “One of my major concerns is there is one entrance and exit to the back of the buildings, which is used by shopkeepers and residents to park cars and get to their gardens.
“However, the road is 50 years old so is not wide enough for a refuse lorry to go down so everybody has standard sized bins stored along the top.
“There is no access to the front by the takeaway for bin collection so the large bin proposed would have to be manually wheeled down the whole street and left on the side.
“Depending on what time of the day they decide to take the bin out, it will be very noisy dragging a heavy bin across old tarmac.
“It is a very quiet residential area with a small row of shops and after 9.30pm there is no one about. There are over 20 takeaways in Shaw already – we don’t need another.”
Another resident said: “The design and access statement says the frontage will not change – however, the signage is going to be different and it may well be brightly lit which would be totally out of keeping with the character of the area.
“The application says there will be no problem with parking but I think it would be a big issue.
“There is a parking area at the front but it is only a bus terminus. There is no specific parking for the shop.
“It would cause problems of people parking on the adjacent streets and church car park, which is privately owned.”
She pointed out that Oldham Council’s website shows 52 comments received – 51 objections, none supporting and one neutral.
But she added it does not appear to be a complete tally as she submitted hers on paper and it has not been counted on the website.
Plans for the takeaway were showcased at a public consultation in September before the consultation period ended on October 4. Oldham Council’s website says a decision is expected to be made by Monday, October 21.