Residents object to Rotherham restaurant flue pipe plan over odour concerns

The restaurant will be housed in the former HSBC bank on Laughton Road, Dinnington, which closed in September 2020.

Documents state that permission is not needed to change the former bank into restaurant, after the The Town and Country Planning Use Classes Order was changed in 2020 to group restaurants and professional services into the same category.

The applicants have, however, have applied for permission to erect a flue pipe on the building, to remove smoke, vapours and heat.

A report, to be considered by members of the planning board at their next meeting on February 24, states that the flue will be ‘largely concealed from from public views by the row of existing shops and it would not visible within the streetscene of Laughton Road’.

A condition is recommended that the flue pipe should be painted black to ‘minimise visual impact’.

The report adds that ‘the proposed system is acceptable in terms of noise and odour impact for local residents’, and officers suggest a condition that the owners submit what odour mitigation measures they will take, prior to the instillation of the flue.

According to the applicant, the restaurant will create three full-time and one part-time job, and will open 11am until 10pm, seven days a week.

Residents have objected to the plans, on the grounds of noise, odour, litter, and lack of car parking spaces.

However, the report adds: “The comments largely revolve around the use of the premises as a restaurant and takeaway and that it does not conform with the recently adopted Dinnington Neighbourhood Plan.

“However, these comments are not relevant to this application as it is purely for the proposed extraction flue only as planning permission is not required to convert the former bank into a restaurant.

“Any take-away element would be ancillary to the use of the premises as a restaurant and would not require planning permission.

“As such, the merits or otherwise of the use of the premises are not able to be considered as part of this application.”

The application has been recommended for approval, subject to conditions.