A decision is due on whether a restaurant in Wilmslow town centre will be allowed to retain their outdoor drinking and dining terrace.
Sotto, which opened in April 2018, opened the outdoor dining and dining terrace in May 2021, when Covid restrictions were lifted. The terrace is located on a grassed area at the front of their Wareham Street restaurant.
The Italian and Spanish restaurant were retrospectively granted planning permission for the alfresco dining area with decking and a canopy in April 2022, though the current approval restricts the use of the outdoor area for a period of 18 months, which is due to expire on 22nd October 2023.
Sotto is now seeking consent to change the permission to permanent so they can retain the structure, stating "the development would encourage longevity for the existing business and would have a positive impact on Wilmslow Town Centre."
The site is located within Wilmslow Town Centre and is an area of protected open space. The temporary permission includes 3 pergolas, two on the proposed decking and one within existing parking spaces to the east of the site and protected open space.
The application seeks to vary the approved plans, which would remove the pergola within the existing parking area and would result in the introduction of planter beds around the decked area.
The planning officer is recommending the planning application for refusal at the Northern Planning Committee meeting on Wednesday, 22nd March, stating "The development is not considered to comply with the relevant local plan policies which relate to protected open space, and the proposed materials would not be appropriate for a permanent structure."
Wilmslow Town Council raised no objections to the planning application.
The planning officer decided to approve the retrospective application in April 2022 on a temporary basis stating "It is understood that the applicants required the proposed development so that they could and can continue to keep their business operating throughout the recent COVID 19 pandemic. The agent has also stated the applicant would accept a condition regarding a 3-year temporary permission.
"While the proposed development is considered contrary to policies of the adopted local plan and the justification for permanent permission is very limited, it is considered that a temporary permission could be justified in this case in order to aid the security of the financial future of the restaurant after difficulties experienced during the pandemic, helping the business to adapt after lockdowns.
"The work would enable additional trade on a temporary basis following the lifting of restrictions. A temporary permission would therefore be appropriate, to give the applicant a further period of time to consider their options for the business moving forward. It is therefore recommended that permission be granted for a temporary period of 18 months."
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
This particular outdoor area seems to be very popular and do not consider it detracts from local plan policies.
SUMMARY
This application seeks consent to vary Condition 1 (approved plans) and remove Condition 3 (temporary permission) attached to the approved application in April 2022 for retrospective permission at 4 Wareham Street in Wilmslow. The approved application granted temporary permission for an external drinking and dining area in connection with the restaurant, with proposed decking and canopy.
The site is located within Wilmslow Town Centre and is an area of protected open space.
The current approval restricts the use of the outdoor external area for a period of 18 months, which is due to expire on 22nd October 2023. The submitted Planning Statement states the development would encourage longevity for the existing business and would have a positive impact on Wilmslow Town Centre.
The temporary permission includes 3 pergolas, two on the proposed decking and one within existing parking spaces to the east of the site and protected open space. The application seeks to vary the approved plans, which would remove the pergola within the existing parking area and would result in the introduction of planter beds around the decked area.
The development is not considered to comply with the relevant local plan policies which relate to protected open space, and the proposed materials would not be appropriate for a permanent structure.
(Extracted from the full report available at https://tinyurl.com/55mr53rb)
It's not as if the space has always been 'green space'. Consider also Sparrow Park, at Bank Square, a former green space the council itself chose to turn into a 'brown space' by covering it with block paving.
It seems to me that the solution to this planning application is to permit it on the basis that it will be removed if the business ceases to operate.
A fine example of applying " common sense", which, as we all know could be the sticking point in the decision.
Yes, it seems a very sensible idea.
However, before you blame Cheshire East for not implementing it, unfortunately Planning Law does not allow it. Planning only judges the building. It does not judge who is applying or who will benefit from the approval.
Therefore, if they approve it for this restaurant, then it will also be approved for all other restaurants that may take over.
Basically, it makes it an equitable system. So any approval will benefit everyone operating from this site and no one gets preferential treatment.
Cllr Mark Goldsmith
Residents of Wilmslow
Wilmslow West & Chorley
The one I always find visually intrusive and out of place in the landscape every time I pass it is that big exposed glass panelled box perched on the grass bank by the road in front of The Merlin.