A planning application to turn the former Oxfam charity shop on Sycamore Road into a takeaway pizzeria has been refused by Buckinghamshire Council.
Pizza chain Papa John’s wanted to turn 41 Sycamore Road into its latest fast food joint, after submitting plans in May, but the council decided against it on September 22, saying adding a fourth takeaway outlet to the high street would be “a reduction in diversity”.
In the council’s decision notice, Steve Bambrick, service director of planning and environment, explained: “The introduction of an additional takeaway business in this location would not improve the vitality and vibrancy of the town centre, given that there are existing similar outlets.
“Furthermore, the development is unlikely to attract business to the town centre. In addition, due to the lack of parking and facilities for takeaway drivers to park to collect orders, the location is unsuitable for such a use and this would add to the harm to the vitality of the town centre.”
He added that planning decisions should aim to achieve healthy, inclusive and safe places, and that the proposal “would fail to provide access to healthier food”.
The council concluded that the development would increase the saturation of such businesses on the high street “to the detriment of the health of the community and to the detriment of the choice and vitality of the town centre”.
Photo credit: Dutchmen Photography and Shutterstock
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