PLANS to relocate a Chinese takeaway in Chard have been approved by South Somerset District Council (SSDC).
Top Chef Chinese Takeaway, currently located at 1 Fore Street, is run by Qiaoping Chen through her company Ocean Grace Ltd.
The business has been granted permission to convert a former paint and home decoration store at 9A-11 Holyrood Street.
The premises were previously occupied by Martins of Chard, which closed in July 2021, leaving the building unoccupied.
The building was put up for auction after its closure and purchased by the applicants who needed to relocate Top Chef from their current leasehold premises.
SSDC published the decision notice on Monday, December 12.
The notice says: “The development is not considered to be harmful to the character and setting of the nearby grade II* and grade II listed buildings, nor is there harm to the conservation area.
“The development would not have a negative impact on the primary shopping frontage, residential amenity, biodiversity or highway safety.
“The proposed opening hours for the new takeaway will be between 5pm and 10pm when most other commercial premises are closed and there is sufficient parking space available for the use of their customers.
“A home delivery service will reduce the number of customer car journeys, a proportion of customers will be on foot and the premises are near to bus routes with stops close by.”
The change of use planning application was submitted in July.
The design and access statement says: “The former shop floor will be converted to form the sales and cooking area, retaining the existing shop front and access from Holyrood Street with food preparation, storage and a separate access to the first floor at the rear.
“After being unoccupied for a year the building, although structurally sound, requires extensive refurbishment which will be carried out as part of this proposal.
“The street frontage will remain largely unaltered with all of the existing features retained.
“The two full-time staff who have living accommodation above the current takeaway will also move to the new premises.”
The former Martins of Chard store is located between The Welcome Bap and Chard Insurance Services. It is opposite Sainsbury's and The Village Bakery.
Top Chef Chinese Takeaway offers a range of Chinese and Thai options including curry, chop suey, foo yung, chow mein and other noodle dishes.
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