Proposals for two new 24-hour drive-through food units and new retail space at Bradley Stoke’s Willow Brook Centre have been refused permission by councillors for a second time.

South Gloucestershire Council’s (SGC’s) Spatial Planning Committee, meeting at Brook Way Activity Centre on 19th March, had been tasked with “re-evaluating” the application after councillors on a lower-level committee had ignored the case officer’s recommendation and refused permission by five votes to two.

The proposals have proved controversial because of the proximity of the drive-through units to residential properties in Wheatfield Drive, with the single-storey Starbucks being just 22m away from the nearest dwelling. The adjacent two-storey McDonald’s building would be 50m distant.

Further concerns had been expressed over the plans to realign the main access road into the Willow Brook Centre, which would bring it much closer to the rear of residential properties in Dewfalls Drive.

In a re-run of the previous meeting, a packed hall first heard from the applicant’s agent who said the proposals represented a “significant investment” that would “enhance the vitality and viability of the centre” and create 85 full- and part-time jobs.

Although an earlier ‘acoustic report’ submitted by the applicant indicated that there would be no significant increase in night-time noise associated with the food units, the agent indicated that they would be prepared to accept a condition restricting the opening hours of the food units to 6am-11pm for Starbucks and 6am-midnight (Sun-Thu) / 6am-1am (Fri & Sat) for McDonald’s.

Opponents of the scheme were then given a chance to speak, including Steve Moir (headteacher at Bradley Stoke Community School) who said the proximity of the fast food units would add to the “challenges and temptations” faced by students and undermine teaching on healthy lifestyles.

More: Refusal based on South Glos and national planning policies »

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Councillors on South Gloucestershire Council’s (SGC’s) Spatial Planning Committee (SPC) will meet in Bradley Stoke on Tuesday afternoon (19th March) to “re-evaluate” a controversial planning application for new development at the town’s Willow Brook shopping centre.

The proposed scheme, which includes two new drive-through food units expected to be occupied by McDonald’s and Starbucks, had been recommended for approval by the council’s planning officers but was turned down by its Development Management Committee (DMC) at a meeting on 21st February. The DMC had previously met in January to consider the application, but deferred a decision to allow a site inspection visit to take place.

Residents of properties in Wheatfield Drive and Dewfalls Drive object to the scheme, saying that the drive-through units should be built closer to the existing main buildings at the centre, in keeping with its original design ethos. The closest property in Wheatfield Drive would be 22m distant from the single-storey Starbucks unit and 50m from the two-storey McDonald’s building

The DMC’s reasons for refusal were minuted as:

“That the proposed development, if permitted, would result in a harmful concentration of food and drink uses resulting in a prejudicial impact on residential amenity due to noise, general disturbance, fumes, smells, and late night activity.”

In view of the DMC’s decision to overturn the officer recommendation, the application has automatically been referred to the SPC, which is a larger committee of 26 members, from which the nine members of the DMC are drawn.

The SPC must deal with the application de novo, i.e. it is not a review of the DMC decision, but a full determination.

More: Only nine members will take part in the SPC meeting on Tuesday »

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A controversial planning application for new developments at Bradley Stoke’s Willow Brook shopping centre that would include two new drive-through food units anticipated to be occupied by McDonald’s and Starbucks has been refused permission.

The proposed scheme, which also includes two new retail units and rearrangement of the car park, had been recommended for approval by a South Gloucestershire Council planning officer, but was ‘called in’ by a number of local ward members for determination by committee.

Meeting at the Jubilee Centre in Bradley Stoke on Thursday 21st February, the Development Management (DM) Committee was considering the application for the second time in four weeks after members had deferred a decision at their January meeting to allow a site inspection visit to take place.

Above: Committee meeting under way at the Jubilee Centre.

Proceedings at the meeting followed the usual pattern with supporters and objectors being given time to air their views before councillors debated the issues, with guidance from the principal planning officer. However, one noticeable difference this time was that Bradley Stoke councillor Roger Avenin, who, as a committee member, had spoken strongly against the application at the previous meeting, spoke from the public gallery, his place on the committee having been taken by Stoke Gifford councillor Ernie Brown. The Journal understands that Cllr Avenin was advised to step down as it was feared that he may have “fettered his discretion”.

Many of the points raised by the public and local ward councillors centred on the remoteness of the two food units from the main buildings at the centre (they would be positioned either side of the current Waves car wash) and their close proximity to residential properties in Wheatfield Drive.

More: Councillors ignore guidance from principal planning officer »

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Councillors on South Gloucestershire Council’s (SGC’s) Development Management Committee will meet in Bradley Stoke tomorrow afternoon (Thursday 21st February) to once again consider a controversial planning application for new development at the town’s Willow Brook shopping centre.

The proposed scheme, which includes two new drive-through food units expected to be occupied by McDonald’s and Starbucks, has been recommended for approval by the council’s officers but is opposed by Bradley Stoke Town Council and a number of local South Gloucestershire ward councillors.

The plans were first considered at the committee’s previous meeting held in Kingswood on 24th January, but, following almost two hours of representations and debate, councillors voted to defer a decision so that they could hold a site inspection visit.

The inspection visit, attended by seven of the nine committee members, duly took place under atrocious weather conditions on Friday 8th February (see photo below). Ahead of the meeting, outlines of the proposed McDonald’s and Starbucks buildings, which would be sited either side of the present Waves car wash facility, were spray painted on the surface of the car park to aid interpretation of the plans.

Residents of properties in Wheatfield Drive and Dewfalls Drive have objected to the scheme, saying that the drive-through units should be built closer to the existing main buildings at the centre, in keeping with its original design ethos. An annotated plan (above; click to enlarge), drawn up at the request of the committee following the site inspection visit, shows that the closest property in Wheatfield Drive (at top edge) would be 22m distant from the single-storey Starbucks unit and 50m from the two-storey McDonald’s building.

More: Meeting location, time, agenda and reports »

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