At lunchtime I took the time to attend this week’s meeting of the Planning Panel, who were discussing the application by Derwent Holdings to make significant changes to the Tesco car park and resite the McDonalds restaurant.
It is a very difficult application to get to grips with because it comes in three distinct parts – highways changes around the entrance, the resiting of the McDonalds, and a changed layout in the car park itself.
The highways changes are broadly welcome, particularly the closure of the High Street entrance which is a horrible junction. The McDonalds move is more controversial, as the restaurant would be further away from residents on High Street but closer to those on Granville Street. I made the point that the opportunity should be made to impose stricter conditions with regard to littering within the proposal.
However, the biggest concerns were around the remodelling of the car park, and particularly the area immediately next to the residential properties on Granville Street. The proposal would remove much of the green “buffer” between the residents and the car park and significantly reduce their amenity with more noise and poorer air quality.
In the end the Panel decided to defer the decision for further consultation with the applicant. Personally I’d like to see the highways changes go through and the car park remodelled with the retention of the green space outside Granville Street.
I was also somewhat surprised that none of the three Walkden North ward Councillors turned up to represent their residents. Quite a few Granville Street residents turned up although I know far more would have made it but for the unhelpful timing of Planning meetings to be during the working day.
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