East Herts Council rejects takeaway plan for Snowley Parade in Bishop’s Stortford

An application for planning permission to change a former Bishop’s Stortford launderette into a late-night takeaway has been refused.

East Herts Council (EHC) rejected Sulaxsana Rames’ plan to convert empty premises at Snowley Parade, on the Parsonage estate, last occupied by Saffron Launderers & Dry Cleaners.

She had hoped to open from 10am to midnight, Sundays to Fridays, and an hour later on Saturdays and to create three jobs. The only change proposed to the building’s exterior was the installation of a kitchen flue.

Bishop’s Stortford Town Council objected to the proposals because of the effect on neighbouring residents, who could be bothered by cooking smells and disturbances caused by delivery vehicles and limited customer parking.

Its planning and development committee argued that Snowley Parade was already a problem area for litter and had no cycle parking.

Nearby residents also asked EHC to block the scheme. One wrote: “Please do remember people's homes are on top of the shops and we have to deal with noise, smells, deliveries [at] all times during the day and bad behaviour from drunk people.”

A report by East Herts planning officers, refusing planning permission, recognised those concerns.

It said: “The proposed hours of operation are not considered to be acceptable due to the location of the site within a quiet residential neighbourhood.

“The application also lacks sufficient information regarding the issues of noise attenuation and odour control from the extract flue and therefore the authority is unable to assess the impact on sensitive noise receptors in the locality to enable the Local Planning Authority to properly consider the application.”

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