Car sales business at La Capanna (Formerly Known As The Pineapple) Little Knowl Hill Brimpton Common

“Site Address La Capanna (Formerly Known As The Pineapple) Little Knowl Hill Brimpton Common Reading Proposal Change of use of public house to car sales (Sui Generis), removal of the first floor residential accommodation to use an office space for the car sales, and erection additional permeable hardsurfacing (retrospective)”

“The application site concerns an existing site concerns a premises on Little Knowl Hill which was historically the Pineapple Pub then La Capanna, an Italian restaurant.”

“The site includes a two-storey building which is Grade II listed and comprises of white painted brickwork and a thatched roof. The site includes hardsurfacing to the front and sides of the building and an existing access point off Little Knowl Hill (B3051) which is a classified highway subject to 40mph speed limit..”

“The planning history for the site is set out below:”

“Application Description Decision Date BDB/13962 Erection of a bottle store Granted 29.11.1982 BDB/12937 Erection of a garage Granted 20.04.1982 BDB/40501 Erection of single storey extension and extension of car park Granted 03.02.1997”

“Consultee Comment Where in the report this is considered Environmental Health No objections subject to conditions. Note that trade effluent will require separate consent outside planning. If jet washing facilities are proposed then a Noise Impact Assessment will be required. vii./viii. Historic Environment No objection to the application. This is based upon the points raised in section 4 (p.23-24) of the statement, which is agreed with.”

“- New vehicle owners will be exiting onto the B3051, where cars regularly travel above the speed limit, in cars with which they are unfamiliar and may not be fully in control. This creates a road safety issue in an area with an existing record of accidents, including a fatality.”

“- Safety concerns due to the increased traffic that use of the site for car sales will inevitably cause. We believe that the number of vehicle movements is likely to be greater than the application suggests due to potential customers stopping to view, actual customers entering and leaving the site, and new cars being brought to the site.”

“The Committee discussed the proposed application.”

“Some Members expressed their dismay to see a rural public house fallen into disuse. However, the building had been vacant for some time and the proposal was a constructive use of the building.”

“RESOLVED that: the application be APPROVED subject to the conditions and informatives listed below.”

“The premises shall not open before 0800 hours or remain open after 1800 hours on Mondays to Saturdays or open before 10:00 hours or remain open after 16:00 hours on Sundays and Bank Holidays.”