Concerns over new bakery at West End retail park

The bakery got permission to open from 6.30am to 10pm seven days a week at the Crow Road site.

A new single storey building is to be home to the business alongside another retail unit.

A total of 25 objections were lodged with the council over the plan expressing worries over an increase in traffic congestion and noise concerns among others.

Victoria Park Labour councillor Eunis Jassemi confirmed a Greggs would be moving in and objected to the proposal, raising concerns about pollution and other issues. He said the development could put pressure on parking spaces describing the situation as “horrendous” already.

One objection said “the proposal will lead to a proliferation of ‘Greggs’ bakeries within the locality” according to a council paper.

Green Councillor Martha Wardrop voiced concerns about the bakery opening so early on a Sunday morning at a Planning Applications Committee this week.

But the meeting heard a McDonald’s on the site opened for 24 hours already. SNP Councillor Ken Andrew said as there is a 24 hour fast food outlet on the site “it would be churlish” to try and control the bakery’s opening hours on a Sunday.

Wittington Investments (Properties) had applied for permission to change the planning conditions to allow for extended hours for the business.

Councillor Hanif Raja, Labour, said: “People get up and use bakeries in the morning. I think we should allow it to happen.”

Planning permission for the erection of the two retail units was previously granted.

This week’s planning applications committee gave the go-ahead for a change in conditions related to opening hours.

A council report said: “although the new application amends the existing consent to a degree by extending the operating hours of one of the units, the difference is minor and does not significantly alter the impact of the previously granted consent.”

The report added: “Other material considerations including the letters of objection have been considered, however these do not outweigh the proposal’s accordance with the Development Plan and are noted to predominantly relate to the general principle of the development of the site for two new commercial units, for which an extant planning permission exists.”

It said taking account of the site location, which is close to a busy rail line and the 24 hour operating restaurant, it is not considered the extended opening “would be so detrimental to residential amenity as to warrant refusal.”