A prominent brownfield site at Eastwood, Rotherham is set to be transformed after planning permission was granted for a regeneration scheme centred around new food retail units.
The vacant one hectare site at Mushroom Roundabout was previously home to a D.C. Cook car dealership but has been empty since 2008 following demolition.
In May, Northern Retail Ltd put forward plans for a two-storey Toby Carvery pub and family restaurant, a two-storey KFC restaurant and two smaller restaurant / take away units, together with over 100 car parking spaces and vehicular access via Aldwarke Lane and Sycamore Road.
Wilton Developments and fast food specialists, QFM are also involved in the plans, which state that the development would create 73 jobs.
The land is zoned for employment use in the Council's development plan but the applicants argue that due to the previous use as a car showroom and the adjacent Gala Bingo and Iceland stores, the employment use of the site has ceased.
The planners didn't agree but were keen that this not hinder the redevelopment. The report to the council's planning board, said: "The Council do not consider that the site has no future employment prospects over the longer term, and it is clear that the immediate prospects of the site’s re-use have not been tested through marketing, however it is not considered that a refusal could be made based on the loss of employment land in this instance as there is an adequate supply of land within the Borough."
The report went on: "It is considered that proposed food and drink uses on this site would provide significant employment opportunities (49 full time positions and 18 part time). The application site at present consists of a vacant area of land which has a derelict appearance consisting of hardstanding and low barriers. The development of the site is therefore, in itself considered to be a benefit to the surrounding area by bringing the site back into use."
Applicants also stated that there are no sites or properties within the town centre that could accommodate the development in its current form and that the development is not considered to have any detrimental impact on Rotherham town centre. Travel planning and transport assessments have also been carried out, on what is a busy route in and out of Rotherham town centre.
Planners concluded: "It is considered that the proposed development is acceptable in principle and would not have a detrimental impact on Rotherham town centre or any existing or planned investment. Furthermore, the design and scale of the development is considered to be appropriate in this location and would not result in a material impact on the existing highway network."
Images: Toby Carvery
The vacant one hectare site at Mushroom Roundabout was previously home to a D.C. Cook car dealership but has been empty since 2008 following demolition.
In May, Northern Retail Ltd put forward plans for a two-storey Toby Carvery pub and family restaurant, a two-storey KFC restaurant and two smaller restaurant / take away units, together with over 100 car parking spaces and vehicular access via Aldwarke Lane and Sycamore Road.
Wilton Developments and fast food specialists, QFM are also involved in the plans, which state that the development would create 73 jobs.
The land is zoned for employment use in the Council's development plan but the applicants argue that due to the previous use as a car showroom and the adjacent Gala Bingo and Iceland stores, the employment use of the site has ceased.
The planners didn't agree but were keen that this not hinder the redevelopment. The report to the council's planning board, said: "The Council do not consider that the site has no future employment prospects over the longer term, and it is clear that the immediate prospects of the site’s re-use have not been tested through marketing, however it is not considered that a refusal could be made based on the loss of employment land in this instance as there is an adequate supply of land within the Borough."
The report went on: "It is considered that proposed food and drink uses on this site would provide significant employment opportunities (49 full time positions and 18 part time). The application site at present consists of a vacant area of land which has a derelict appearance consisting of hardstanding and low barriers. The development of the site is therefore, in itself considered to be a benefit to the surrounding area by bringing the site back into use."
Applicants also stated that there are no sites or properties within the town centre that could accommodate the development in its current form and that the development is not considered to have any detrimental impact on Rotherham town centre. Travel planning and transport assessments have also been carried out, on what is a busy route in and out of Rotherham town centre.
Planners concluded: "It is considered that the proposed development is acceptable in principle and would not have a detrimental impact on Rotherham town centre or any existing or planned investment. Furthermore, the design and scale of the development is considered to be appropriate in this location and would not result in a material impact on the existing highway network."
Images: Toby Carvery