THREE food takeaways can now be built in Winnington Village ‘district centre’, after council planners allowed a change to the original consent.
The Winnington Urban Village Development company (WUVD) has permission to build a convenience store – earmarked for Co-op – a children’s day nursery, pub-restaurant and community building, as well as a row of six retail units.
Initially, the row of shops was given permission to include no more than two food units alongside retail uses and a veterinary surgery, although this has now been increased to three.
Despite objections from Northwich Town Council, opening hours have been increased by half an hour each day of the week – up to 11.30pm Monday to Saturday and 11pm on Sundays.
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A Cheshire West and Chester Council planning officer said: “In the current circumstances – i.e. where the units do not exist as yet – and given that the applicant has, from discussions, been considering not implementing all of the retail units because of not being able to find a suitable tenant, it is considered better to afford some flexibility to the developer to encourage the development as a whole.
“There will be a larger convenience store in addition to the smaller flexible units, and it is considered important to encourage the delivery of the centre as a whole at this stage.”
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The office did not consider that an ‘excessive concentration’ of food uses would undermine the area’s retail function.
They added: “It is likely that, if granted, three of the units would be used as restaurant/cafes and/or hot food takeaway, and in addition there could be a sandwich or coffee based outlet which might sell some hot food/beverages, although this would still fall into shop use.”
WUVD has also been told that, should plans for a separate community building not proceed, there is scope to create a multi-purpose facility within the proposed pub.
In its initial planning application, WUVD said the scheme would create the equivalent of 64 full-time jobs and parking provision.
Two of the retail units are under offer – along with the nursery – to join Co-op as village centre tenants.
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