Ice-cream kiosk plan approved despite objections
5:56pm Thursday 1st September 2011
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COUNCILLORS have given the green light for an application to create an ice cream kiosk and cycle hire centre in an historic building.
Richmondshire Leisure Trust, which operates Richmond Pool, plans to use the old Gas House building, which stands by The Station, during the summer months as a
way to bring in extra revenue.
The Grade II listed stone building, which still houses its original gas workings, will need few alterations to become a cycle hire centre as it is already use for bike storage by the leisure trust.
Although the plans had been opposed by some local residents, including the owners of an ice cream parlour based in The Station, councillors were reminded that they could not consider the commercial
effect on other businesses in making their decision.
Consultees also raised concerns about the lack of toilet facilities for staff and the lack of running water for washing hands in the building.
The leisure trust had previously submitted plans to Richmondshire District Council for the building that involved an ice cream kiosk only, but withdrew the application earlier this year after a
number of objections.
Councillor Campbell Dawson, a member of the planning committee, also opposed the plans and said: “I would not be happy if we allow them to sell ice cream out of this building. It will mean allowing
them to put signs up across it and then we will have problems in terms of it being a listed building. I also have worries about parking, which is already a problem around The Station.”
Several councillors expressed concerns about the size of the buildings and doubted whether the leisure trust would be able to store enough bikes to create a viable business.
Councillor Malcolm Gardner, also a member of the planning committee, gave his backing to proposal and said the fact that there was already an ice cream parlour in the area was irrelevant.
He said: “We are not in the business of protecting one business from another competitor coming along. Nor is the number of bicycles that can be stored there a matter for us.
“The objections that have come forward from residents seem to only apply in terms of the ice cream kiosk part of the application. They do not mind it becoming a bike hire centre, which seems to be
a huge contradiction.”
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