Hospitality and events space at 16A Liverpool Road, Penwortham, Preston

What was proposed

The application sought to change a first-floor beauty salon into a café and private function room with two event rooms, kitchen and customer toilets.

“The proposed floorplan indicates the access via the staircase from the ground floor and landing areas will remain the same. The front room will become event room 2, the middle room event room 1. The existing back room will become the kitchen area. The existing bathroom will become the staff room incorporating a staff WC. The existing kitchen area will become two customer WC’s.”

“Event room 1 measures 4.35 x 4.68m, and Event Room 2 measures 4.69m x 4.68m. Partition doors will be fitted between the two event rooms to enable them to be opened up to create a single room of 9. 04m x 4.68m. The internal works themselves do not require planning permission, and it is solely the Change of Use of the premises that is being considered.”

Officer report

The site

The property is a first-floor commercial unit on a corner in Penwortham District Centre, near commercial premises, residential properties, a supermarket and listed buildings.

“The application site relates to a first-floor commercial property located on the corner of Liverpool Road and Priory Lane in Penwortham and at the crossroads junction with Cop Lane. The property is currently used as a beauty salon accessed via a staircase on the ground floor fronting onto Liverpool Road, to the immediate east of the existing 16 On the Hill premises.”

“The area is predominantly commercial in nature and is within the Penwortham District Centre. Some residential properties are located to the north on Priory Lane and above some of the commercial properties. Diagonally opposite is the locally listed Water Tower, a residential property with the Grade II listed Fleece Inn to its west. Both these properties are within the Penwortham Conservation Area.”

Officer report

Relevant planning history

Nearby premises have previously received permissions for cafés, drinking establishments, extended hours, external seating and other commercial uses.

“07/2022/00148/VAR - Removal of condition 4 to allow for patio heaters and Variation of Condition 14 of planning permission 07/2019/6994/COU to extend the hours of operation. Approved at Committee. • 07/2019/6994/COU - Change of Use from Class A3 (Restaurant/Cafe) to Class A4 (Drinking Establishment). Approved. • 07/2016/1336/TPD- Notification for prior approval for a change of use from Class (A1) to Class (A3).”

“07/2023/00685/VAR- Variation of condition 9 of planning permission 07/2023/00172/FUL to allow for the external seating area to be used until 22:00hrs Bread and Butter • 07/2024/00493/VAR - Application for the Variation of Condition 2 (Hours of Opening) and 3 (External Table and Chair Clearance) of planning permission 07/2019/9202/VAR. Approved at Committee 6. Consultees…”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended approval because the use was appropriate for the district centre, retained commercial activity and would not cause unacceptable residential or highway impacts.

“Policy E4 seeks to achieve a minimum of 60% of A1 use of the overall units, but this primarily applies to the ground floor premises. The proposal is for the change of use of the first floor only with a proposed use that can be considered appropriate for the location and, as such, would retain commercial activity in the district centre which should have a positive impact.”

“Penwortham Neighbourhood Development Plan (2016-2026) advises that “The Central Lancashire Core Strategy designates in Policy 11 District Centres and the South Ribble Local Plan identifies Liverpool Road, Penwortham, as a District Centre (Policy E4), and sets out its boundary in Appendix 7 of the NDP. The purpose of these policies to prevent an over proliferation of non-retail uses at the expense of retail provision within the centre is supported.”

Officer report

Consultation responses

The highways authority had no objection, environmental health requested conditions addressing noise and extraction, and no representations were received.

“County Highways – No objection and comment that ‘Lancashire County Council acting as the Local Highway Authority have reviewed the plans and highway related documents and do not raise an objection regarding the proposal. The proposal will not have a significant impact on highway safety, capacity or amenity in the immediate vicinity of the site.”

“Environmental Health – Have no objections subject to conditions and comment that the site is near residential properties. Consequently, the proposed use has the potential to cause dis-amenity due to noise. It is recommended that conditions are imposed to restrict hours of use, require details of extraction equipment and minimise potential noise disturbance.”

Officer report

Speakers

No registered speakers took part in the committee consideration.

The committee vote

The committee unanimously agreed to grant full planning permission, subject to the report’s conditions and an additional highway-safety condition.

“The officers’ recommendation to approve the application, subject to the imposition of conditions outlined within the report was proposed by Councillor Pete Pillinger and seconded by Councillor Damian Bretherton.”

“That full planning permission be granted, subject to the conditions outlined in the report and with the inclusion of the following condition:”

Minutes