Planners reject application for second Domino's Pizza in the centre of Havant

PLANNERS have voted overwhelmingly to deny a fast food giant its second takeaway inside half a mile.
The empty unit at 39 West Street, which was formerly a branch of HSBC. Picture: Google Street ViewThe empty unit at 39 West Street, which was formerly a branch of HSBC. Picture: Google Street View
The empty unit at 39 West Street, which was formerly a branch of HSBC. Picture: Google Street View

Hopes for a Domino's Pizza at 39 West Street were quashed after a six-to-one vote at the latest meeting of Havant Borough Council's Development Management Committee (DMC).

If approved, the planning application lodged on July 9 could have become the firm's second branch in the centre of Havant '“ with an existing site already in North Street, just 0.3 miles away. 

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But after going against a planning officer's recommendations, councillors united to oppose the bid because of its potentially '˜detrimental' effect on traffic and nearby homes. 

The news was welcomed by Bob Comlay, chairman of the Havant Civic Society, who presented a case for opposition at Monday's DMC meeting. 

'˜The site itself only has three parking spaces behind it, but all of the delivery traffic in and out would have made up to 140 movements an hour,' he said. 

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'˜The positive thing about the meeting was that the councillors present found exactly the same problem. 

'˜Parking would have been crucial for both delivery drivers and customers and there just isn't enough there.' 

The decision on the application was originally set to be delegated, but it was pushed to the DMC by the council's deputy leader Tim Pike after it drew more than 45 comments on the authority's online planning portal. 

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Among these were some 46 notes of opposition, dwarfing the three supporting the plan.

David Keast was one of the six councillors who voted to rejected the application after visiting the site to assess its constraints.

He said: '˜With staff vehicles to take into consideration, there would be no parking at all without going into a nearby car park. Customers would not want to pay for that to pick up a pizza. 

'˜I have nothing against Domino's, but we have to consider each planning application on its individual merits. I think this was the right decision.' 

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The one vote in favour of the application came from the DMC's chairman, Paul Buckley, who vowed to support the council's case officer. 

In a refusal letter to the applicant for the plan, Geo and R Carrell Properties Limited, Havant Borough Council said in part: '˜The proposed change of use of the premises would give rise to additional vehicular movements to and from the site, and due to the limited parking facilities available would be detrimental to the amenity of nearby residential properties, particularly during the evening period.' 

 

 

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