Plans to convert a Sefton food bank into a takeaway have been withdrawn amid a flurry of objections from neighbours.
The proposals involved converting the former Big Help project food club on Carr Meadow Hey in Netherton into a takeaway.
An extension for a cold food storage and to house a ventilation chimney also formed part of the plans for the building, which is owned by One Vision Housing, according to an application submitted to Sefton Council in October.
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If approved, the takeaway would sell hot food and operate between the hours of 12noon and 11pm seven days a week.
The plans, however, attracted some controversy within the local area.
Several neighbours wrote to the planning department to lodge their objections, as did one local business owner who was “extremely upset” at receiving notification of the application via a customer.
The owner of Lam’s chippy, which has operated from Carr Meadow Hey for 40 years, Mr Pak Yan Lam said he was “extremely concerned” at the prospect of a similar business opening next door when “we have just come to the end of the pandemic and beginning of the country’s economic crisis.”
Mr Lam said: “In the 40 years since I have owned my business there has never been a similar takeaway [along the street]”
He added: “How am I expected to survive financially when my business will be affected by the opening of another nearby takeaway within a hundred yards?”
Other local residents were also not happy.
One neighbour wrote to express concern at the possibility of increased littering, issues with “gangs that will congregate” and worries at potential parking issues, adding; “We don’t need this and we don’t want it.”
Another said the plans were a “disgrace” and also cited fears around increased anti social behaviour.
A further objector said they were concerned at the impact the takeaway could have on other businesses and residents in the area, stating: “This will be devastating to the chippy on the same row of shops, who has been in business for 20+ years. The neighbours behind this new build will also suffer.”
Environmental health also spoke of concerns a noise assessment had not been carried out into the potential impacts of the ventilation chimney and associated equipment on local residents.
The highways department had no objections, stating there was “adequate space” nearby to accommodate short stay parking for customers waiting to be served.
Ultimately, however, earlier this week, the application was withdrawn.
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