Firstly the site is within the identified town centre, and restaurants and hot food take-aways are identified by the National Planning Policy Framework as being appropriate town centre uses.Secondly, it's within secondary shopping frontage, and adopted UDP policy S.1.3 broadly supports non retail uses within such frontages.Thirdly how long has this unit been vacant ? (at least 2/3 years ?). And some of the ground floor retail space built as part of the development (at least 8 years ago) has never been occupied.Transport issues ? - there's a car park almost directly opposite. Potentially servicing issues but given that it was built for retail use the development must have factored in servicing facilities when it was granted permission/built.Essentially you're left with residential amenity issues, which to be honest aren't exactly strong given the town centre location and any potential impacts (such as noise, odour, litter etc.) can be easily mitigated.Thus I can't see any planning basis for refusal.
Adam Beamish ● 4632d