Proposals to turn a former town centre bar into a residential and retail use have been thrown out by planners.
Plans submitted to Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council sought permission to change the use of the former Blakey’s Café Bar in the town from a drinking establishment to residential use with a retail unit.
Under the plans, the retail unit would be on the ground floor of the Paradise Street building, and five apartments would be spread throughout the remainder of the ground floor and the first floor.
But planning officers have described the proposed development as “fundamentally unacceptable” and have said that “significant amendments are considered necessary to make the application acceptable.”
The decision has been made amid concerns about a lack of outdoor amenity space for future residents and a lack of light and ventilation due to the proposed positions of the windows.
A planning officers’ report states: “Whilst the benefits of the scheme would be the provision of five residential units within a highly sustainable location alongside the retention of commercial activities within the town centre, on this occasion it is considered that the identified harms with regards to residential amenity are significant and would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of the scheme.”
It adds: “The proposed development would result in an adverse impact on the residential amenity afforded to the future occupants of the proposed residential units by virtue of the lack of outdoor amenity space and the placement of windows in positions that do not afford a high standard of amenity due to lack of suitable light, outlook and ventilation.
“Insufficient information has been submitted with the application to demonstrate that adverse environmental impacts relating to noise and air quality will not occur as a result of the development.
“The proposal could therefore lead to an adverse impact to the residential amenity of occupants of the proposed development which is contrary to aims and objectives of the National Planning Policy Framework (2023).”
Blakey’s Café Bar – known for its live music evenings – ran for over 40 years before closing its doors in 2019. The building has been vacant for several years.
Planning permission was previously granted to change the use of the building to office/retail but this has not been implemented.
The latest plans proposed two two-bedroom units, two one-bedroom units and a three-bedroom unit.
The retail unit would have been in a part of the building with no natural light or ventilation, therefore making it unsuitable for residential use.
Each of the five apartments would have had off street parking and one would have had private outdoor space.
