Pizza takeaway given the green light despite worries about mopeds

Councillors have agreed Papa Johns can open in the former NatWest bank at Meadowhead.

Local residents and Coun Ian Auckland had raised a number of concerns, including mopeds taking up limited parking spaces at the shopping centre and driving over the pavement to access the takeaway.

Coun Auckland told a planning meeting: “One of the concerns is delivery mopeds crossing the footway and pedestrians safety and parking will be an issue.”

Resident Charles Critcher added: “The parking of delivery vehicles has been a persistent issue and you won’t find anybody who lives or trades on Meadowhead who supports the idea there there’s plenty of room to park. You only need to go between 9am and 5pm to find how difficult that is.

“The forecourt is a 7ft wide pavement with bollards and there is a steady stream of mothers and buggies going to two primary schools in the area and secondary school pupils also passing this way.”

Papa Johns said the takeaway would bring a disused building back into use and that 70 per cent of its orders were for home delivery so there would be little need for customer parking. The mopeds would use parking bays during opening hours then be stored in the takeaway overnight.

Councillors were divided. Coun Jack Clarkson said: “I agree about safety issues, this is a main arterial route which is busy with school children and pedestrians. We do need to see if parking services can monitor that parking is for the community and not for this business.”

But Coun Peter Price said: “This is no different to most other shopping centres, people find their way around with parking.”

The committee approved the plans.