Plan for new wood-fired pizzeria in former Barclays bank branch at The Nook in South Shields
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South Tyneside Council’s planning department has recommended plans for approval for a new eatery at 245 Prince Edward Road.
Proposals were first submitted in June for the vacant ground floor unit in the Harton Nook district shopping area, which was last occupied by Barclays Bank.
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Hide AdHowever, the application was referred to the council’s Planning Committee for decision at the request of councillor Rob Dix, who represents the Harton ward.
A statement included in the planning report outlines Cllr Dix’s reasons for calling the application in – including the area having “more than its fair share of hot food takeaways.”
The councillor’s statement reads: “I’ve looked at this unit and in my humble opinion it doesn’t look big enough for a restaurant and my fear is they will put out a couple of seats but the main business will be takeaway, therefore elected members need to look at this in more detail.”
In a report prepared for the Planning Committee, planning officers clarified that the restaurant could operate with takeaway facilities as long as they are “ancillary to the main restaurant use of the site.”
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Hide AdThe report adds: “If a significant proportion of the business is takeaway trade, or if the premises was being utilised as a hot food takeaway only, this would require a further change of use planning application.”
According to designs submitted with the restaurant plan, the venue will provide space for eight dine-in tables and customer toilets.
A design and access statement also describes the development as an “authentic wood-fired Italian pizzeria” offering hand-made Neapolitan pizza with “48-hour proofed dough.”
It adds that the proposal would have several benefits – from bringing a vacant business unit back into use and creating jobs to “assisting urban regeneration.”
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Hide AdThe final say on the application rests with South Tyneside Council’s Planning Committee, which will meet on Monday, July 19 to discuss the plan.
The meeting will be held at South Shields Town Hall from 10am and is open to the public.