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PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2022 10:56 am 
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Nothing particularly exciting here, but if a couple of the recent Glasgow articles could do with a bit of editing, this one's totally off the scale. And not difficult to see why for those reading it.


Former Bacup bakery could become taxi rank should council approve plans

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/n ... ove-plans/

Image
Image: Lancashire Telegraph

A FORMER bakery nestled on a town's high street could become a taxi rank if plans are approved by the council.

Businessman Aahid Gafoor submitted an application to Rossendale Borough Council last week asking for permission to change the use of the vacant building from a former bakery, to a radio control private hire office for telephone bookings only.

The property, in Union Street, Bacup, used to be Manning's Bakery, and is located in the centre of a row of five business properties, which back onto Bacup's market square.

A planning statement submitted with the application noted the ground floor of the property has had original features removed but some remain on the first floor.

The statement read: "Internally the ground floor has been eliminated of all existing features, however, the first floor has been somewhat retained, with, what appear to be the original cast iron fire surrounds.

"The front room is the most prominent, with a multi moulded and faceted main surround, the inner surround is flanked with original tiles inside of which are sunburst scallops in cast iron and to the centre damping panel a geometric panel with the same sunburst scallops, behind which the original firebox still exists.

"To the rear room there is very simply rusticated stone fire surround with cast iron inset which is boarded off to obscurity, both probably dating to the 1920’s, there are no chimney breasts visible which suggests in wall flues this would suggest and external chimney prior to the row being extended, although not conclusive."

The applicant plans to carry out repairs to the property, which will mainly be focused on the rear, and has reassured the council the front will not be changed other than to alter the signage over the shop, which will be traditionally sign written.

The statement went on: "Should any repairs need to be undertaken it will be by a registered window surveyor qualified to specify and oversee any sash repair works, (this may include secondary double glazing).

"The main body of work will be to the rear of the property, the windows will be opened up and mullioned to the original style using new gritstone/roughly rusticated/tooled to match the existing, with new sliding sash timber double glazed windows and hardwood timber doors painted to meet with the conservation officers/civic trusts agreement."

The application refers to the 2040 vision set out by Rossendale Borough Council and mentions the approach to upgrade and refurbish the area making "Bacup a place to be", stating that the proposal will provide a positive enhancement to the area.

The statement reads: "Although there may be initial disdain towards a private hire booking office, the applicant is prepared to upgrade and enhance the building in line with the vision, we would suggest that as 2040 is 28 years away the investment should be welcomed.

"By creating a telephone only booking office and not a waiting room or driver rest area the possible nuisance will be thoroughly removed.

"This approach also keeps cars within the designated waiting areas and not on the streets opposite and adjacent to the office.

"The proposal is considered to be a positive enhancement both of the building and the conservation area.

"Although the business is not seen as an asset, an occupied property becomes a desirable property for further business transfer without the need to refurbish.

"With all of above in mind impact on the heritage asset is therefore wholly positive."

A decision will be taken by the council in due course.


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PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2022 10:58 am 
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Quote:
"By creating a telephone only booking office and not a waiting room or driver rest area the possible nuisance will be thoroughly removed."

Usual stuff, but you have to wonder why the applicant feels the need to have a shop-front style premises on Bacup's high street if there's to be no walk-up work or drivers in for a gossip and to be fed the cream runs :-o

Quote:
"This approach also keeps cars within the designated waiting areas and not on the streets opposite and adjacent to the office."

What 'designated waiting areas'? Does this mean HC ranks? The application describes the proposal as a 'private hire booking office', so where are the designated waiting areas?

Of course, particularly since it's a small town, it might in fact be an HC booking office, or mixed fleet, in which case there is a point to be made, although 'private hire booking office' is strictly speaking incorrect.


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PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2022 10:58 am 
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Had a wee joke lined up about the applicant having a Bacup plan in case this one falls through. But thought I'd better check pronunciation in case the likes of Edders ended up on my case 8-[

And seems Bacup is pronounced BayCup, or similar, so my joke doesn't quite work :sad:

But maybe they should have a BakeUp plan, because it's an old bakery :lol: :oops:


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PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2022 11:09 am 
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Location: Stamford Britains prettiest town till SKDC ruined it
StuartW wrote:
Had a wee joke lined up about the applicant having a Bacup plan in case this one falls through. But thought I'd better check pronunciation in case the likes of Edders ended up on my case 8-[

And seems Bacup is pronounced BayCup, or similar, so my joke doesn't quite work :sad:

But maybe they should have a BakeUp plan, because it's an old bakery :lol: :oops:



don't give up your day job but the description of the proposed office certainly rankles with me !

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PostPosted: Thu Jun 02, 2022 1:15 pm 
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Like the original piece, this one could do with a bit of editing [-(

Interesting that it's been refused though. Obviously I'm not intimate with the streets of Bacup, and it's difficult to cut through the PR and bovine excrement from *both* sides.

But I'd guess it could be either of two extremes:

1 It's quite posh and upmarket, and the council and residents don't want it driven downmarket by a minicab office [-(

2 It's an utter dump, and the council's fantasy 2040 Vision and Masterplan is wishful thinking. (I just about used the word 'vision' there sarcastically, until realising that was actually the word used by the council in its headline description :lol: :oops: )

And, I mean, the applicant makes a fair point that allowing the application now would hardly be inconsistent with a *2040* Vision and Masterplan...


Plans to turn former Bacup bakery into taxi rank refused by council

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/n ... d-council/

Plans to turn a former bakery nestled on a town's high street into a taxi rank have been refused by the council.

Businessman Aahid Gafoor submitted an application to Rossendale Borough Council in April asking for permission to change the use of the vacant building from a former bakery, to a radio control private hire office for telephone bookings only.

The property, in Union Street, Bacup, used to be Manning's Bakery, and is located in the centre of a row of five business properties, which back onto Bacup's market square.

However, following a meeting of Rossendale Borough Council's planning committee earlier this week, a decision was made to refuse permission.

The decision notice stated: "The proposed use of the ground floor as a taxi office would result in the loss of active shop frontage that would be detrimental to the character and appearance of the primary shopping area of Bacup District Centre.

"It would therefore be contrary to several polices in the Rossendale Local Plan which seek to maintain or strengthen the retail offer and vitality and viability of town and district centres and the Bacup 2040 Vision and Masterplan.

"The proposal would not comply with the development plan and would not improve the economic, social and environmental conditions of the area.

"There were no amendments to the scheme, or conditions which could reasonably have been imposed, which could have made the development acceptable and it was therefore not possible to approve the application."

Original plans proposed to carry out repairs to the property, which would mainly be focused on the rear, and the applicant sought to reassure the council the front would not be changed other than to alter the signage over the shop, which would be traditionally sign written.

The submitted planning statement read: "Should any repairs need to be undertaken it will be by a registered window surveyor qualified to specify and oversee any sash repair works, (this may include secondary double glazing).

"The main body of work will be to the rear of the property, the windows will be opened up and mullioned to the original style using new gritstone/roughly rusticated/tooled to match the existing, with new sliding sash timber double glazed windows and hardwood timber doors painted to meet with the conservation officers/civic trusts agreement."

The application also referred to the 2040 vision set out by Rossendale Borough Council and mentioned the approach to upgrade and refurbish the area making "Bacup a place to be", stating that the proposal would provide a positive enhancement to the area.

The statement went on: "Although there may be initial disdain towards a private hire booking office, the applicant is prepared to upgrade and enhance the building in line with the vision, we would suggest that as 2040 is 28 years away the investment should be welcomed.

"By creating a telephone only booking office and not a waiting room or driver rest area the possible nuisance will be thoroughly removed.

"This approach also keeps cars within the designated waiting areas and not on the streets opposite and adjacent to the office.

"The proposal is considered to be a positive enhancement both of the building and the conservation area.

"Although the business is not seen as an asset, an occupied property becomes a desirable property for further business transfer without the need to refurbish.

"With all of above in mind impact on the heritage asset is therefore wholly positive."


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PostPosted: Thu Jun 02, 2022 9:08 pm 
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Unless a taxi/PH office wants to attract loads of walk-in bookings then, IMO, it's pointless in 2022 needing a high street office.

Get somewhere cheap on a trading estate and work from there.

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