Public house to shop at Broomhill Bar, Greenock

“Planning permission is sought to change the use of the premises from a public house to a shop (Class 1A). The applicant proposes operating hours of 07:00 to 23:00. A minimum of seven full- time and five part-time staff will be employed, working in shifts to cover opening hours. Proposals also include external alterations to form a shopfront in association with the change of use.”

“It is indicated that illuminated signage is to be installed on three elevations of the building, with advertisement screens placed over each window. Proposals for signage for new premises require to be considered as a separate matter under the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (Scotland) Regulations 1984, with Advertisement Consent sought where required.”

“The application site comprises a detached, single-storey public house located on the north side of Drumfrochar Road, Greenock. The building is finished with a flat, grey membrane roof, white painted roughcast render walls with dark grey coloured bricks on the base course and underneath windows, two white aluminium framed windows and an escape door on each of the east and west elevations, and timber cladding above the windows and escape doors.”

“The site adjoins a two-storey car park to the north, which is accessed from Mill Street, a 15-storey building to the north-east containing residential flats, further off-street parking and an area of grassed open space to the east, and a vacant brownfield site and electricity sub-station to the south across Drumfrochar Road.”

“In considering suitable sequentially preferable opportunities (criterion (a) of both adopted LDP Policy 22 and proposed LDP Policy 23), both LDPs identify Greenock Town Centre as being approximately 750m from the site, and the nearest Local Centres at Lynedoch Street, Barrs Cottage and Sinclair Street, Greenock are approximately 700m, 1.3km and 2.75km from the site respectively.”

“In assessing the impact on the vibrancy, vitality and viability of nearby established town and local centres, both the existing and proposed uses are directed to the network of centres under Policy 22 of the adopted LDP and Policy 23 of the proposed LDP.”

“Parking should be provided in accordance with the National Roads Development Guidelines. • The existing building use is Sui Generis – Public House and has a GFA of 200m² which requires 10 parking spaces. The proposed building use is Class 1 – Shops and has a GFA of 272m² (trading GFA) which requires 9 parking spaces and 2 cycle parking spaces. • The existing site has no parking, and it is not proposed to introduce any parking.”

“Scottish Water – No objection, however the applicant should be aware that this does not confirm the proposed development can currently be serviced. Advises that Scottish Water will not accept…”

“The meeting adjourned at 3:46pm to allow Councillor Jackson to consider the wording of a proposed motion and re-convened at 4pm.”

“Decided: that planning permission be refused as the proposed application would have an adverse impact on the road network due to the potential for the shop to turn into a convenience shop destination, therefore increasing traffic and parking demand in the area which would be contrary to Policies 27 and 28 of NPF4, Policies 11 and 22 of the adopted 2019 Local Development Plan, and Policies 12, 20 and 23 of the proposed 2021 Inverclyde Local Development Plan.”