St Lukes Terrace takeaway refused planning permission by Sunderland City Council

Back in August 2021, a retrospective planning application was lodged with Sunderland City Council for a business unit at 7 Saint Lukes Terrace.

This included a change of use from a dog grooming parlour to a ‘healthy hot food takeaway.’

According to the planning application, work started on the change of use in mid-June 2021 and was completed the following month.

However, the plans failed to win favour from Sunderland City Council’s planning department which refused the retrospective application on Monday, October 11.

A decision notice outlined the reasons behind the decision, which included the plans clashing with a policy aiming to tackle childhood obesity.

The notice from planners reads: “The proposed change of use would be in a ward where the prevalence of childhood obesity is above 21% for year six pupils and 10% for reception year pupils and the application site is also within 400 metres of an entry point to a school.

“Therefore, it is considered that the use will not support or improve the health and well-being of local communities.”

Planners also singled out new timber cladding to the front of the building as another reason for refusal, stating it was an “incongruous addition to the property which is out of keeping with the surrounding area.”

The decision report added that the cladding had a “harmful impact on the appearance of the host property and visual amenity of the locality.”

In a formal statement submitted during consultation, Pallion ward councillor Martin Haswell said the proposed hot food takeaway clashed with several aspects of the council’s Core Strategy and Development Plan (CSDP),or ‘local plan.’

This included limits on the number of hot food takeaway uses in local centres, the distance of the proposed hot food use to schools and existing childhood obesity levels in the ward.

Cllr Haswell’s statement added: “It is also important to note that there is a significant amount of resistance and concern from the local community and Pallion traders to further conversion of retail units on Saint Lukes Terrace to hot food takeaways.

“Saint Lukes Terrace has seen a large number of new retail outlets opening in recent years and existing traders/retailers modernising and investing in their premises.

“Saint Lukes Terrace is now a busy retail hub for residents and draws in significant numbers of passing shoppers with surveys carried out by traders showing visitors from across Sunderland but also South Tyneside and Durham.

“Efforts to invest in local events by traders, community stakeholders, local councillors and the council West Area Committee mean that (pre-Covid) community events regularly take place on Saint Lukes Terrace drawing in further passing trade to local shops.

“To see further outlets converted to A5 hot food takeaway classification and therefore not available to general retail development poses a risk to this redevelopment of the area as a retail hub.”

The applicant has the right to contest the council’s refusal decision by lodging an appeal with the Secretary of State.

For more information on the application and council decision, visit Sunderland City Council’s online planning portal and search reference: 21/01957/FUL

Support your Echo and become a subscriber today. Enjoy unlimited access to local news, the latest on SAFC and new puzzles every day. With a digital subscription, you can see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Click here to subscribe.