The Echo is reporting that the planning officers are recommending that the council approves an application for an Italian restaurant in the old Woolworth’s building.
According to Mr Scrutton?s report to the planning committee, the property firm marketing the building said it had received little interest from retailers.
The only firm offer had come from Ask Restaurants.
The report states: ?If there is no likelihood of a retail use being found, the proposed use is considered to be better for the town than for it to remain empty for a further indeterminate period.
?The restaurant will be open throughout the day and the evening.
?It therefore has the potential to positively attract visitors to the town throughout the day, as well as supporting the night-time economy.
?On balance, the use will make a positive contribution to the vitality and long-term viability of the town centre.?
I understand how our planning people always seem to favour any retail development but put up unrealistic obstacle’s to private applications or from the voluntary sector , and I personally do not have an opinion whether this is good for the high street or not ,but if I had run a restaurant for many years supporting the high street only to have the same put 100 yards away selling the same product (Italian Food) I think I would feel a little bit upset.So the “on balance ” comments seem to me to be a bit lop sided again.
This is correct as stated at the Town Council planning meeting that I attended.
I see Martins point. There are already two Italian restaurants very close to this site. Its a shame a Marks & Sparks food court or something a bit more associated with a successful town centres hasn’t come along.
Martin, yes, corporate applicants who have the experience of submitting many planning applications around the country obviously know the system better than voluntary groups such as, say Downhall Under Fives or The Peaceful Place (and looking back I wish I’d done more to try and help The Peaceful Place).
Sometimes the reasons for refusing an application from the voluntary sector are very strong but if that results in a refusal I’d like to see the council then make a serious effort to help that group find an alternative way forward.
I went to the RDC website today to comment (favourably!) on this proposal but was unable to do so because it appears that the decision has already been made?
I hope that permission was granted and that this new restaurant opens very very soon as I am looking forward to eating decent Italian food in Rayleigh instead of having to travel to another town for the evening. Rayleigh taxi drivers may suffer as a consequence!
(For more openly honest comments – i.e those not gagged by political correctness -see the ECHO forum web pages re local thoughts on the quality of existing Italian restaurants in Rayleigh!)
Having said that I wholeheartedly agree that Rayleigh is in desperate need of an M&S Food or a Waitrose to help kick-start more retail interest in the town and prevent it from going even further into the doldrums… Fingers crossed! [img]undefined[/img]
Yes, this has now been passed , via the council’s ‘weekly list’ system.
By the way, it;s not a food shop but the lady proprietor of “Feathering Your Nest” has just moved premises from Berry’s Arcade to the ‘yellow’ sports shop near the Clock. She’s still sorting the place out, but it’s definitely worth a look. It’s good to see someone investing their future in the Town Centre.