24 September 2018
PLANNING APPLICATION 18/00654/DPP
Application of Change of Use from Class 1 to Hot Food Takeaway and Installation of External Flu at 70 Lothian Street, Bonnyrigg
Bonnyrigg & Lasswade Community Council would like to object to this change of use application. We believe that there is already adequate provision of Food Takeaways in the centre of the town to say nothing of the additional three planned beside Tesco. The association between carry out food and poor health outcomes is already well established and if Midlothian Council is serious about its Single Midlothian Plan objections, particularly those relating to Health & Social Care but also Getting it Right for Every Child, easy access to hot food takeaways should be discouraged. Health is an issue highlighted in the review of Guidance of Food and Drink following the adoption of the Local Development Plan in 2017.
A major concern is the traffic implications as Lothian Street is a busy thoroughfare as well as a residential area. This site may be next door to a restaurant (Gigi’s) that has access to evening parking (Lothian Glass site) but the customers only use the off-street parking once the street space is filled up. The two spaces in front of 70 Lothian Street are unlikely to be readily available to customers of a take-away so it could not be said that there is any, far less adequate, parking provision.
The issue with Lothian Street is that in the evenings resident parking is substantial and with two bus stops (one either side of the road) just close to 70 Lothian Street, the situation can be at best chaotic and at worse dangerous. Adding in takeaway traffic would add to the difficulties as more cars will be parked in unsuitable places causing more traffic holdups and less safe places for road crossing.
We hope Midlothian Council’s planning department and Councillors will force the owners of this shop to think again.
Yours sincerely,
Chairman BLCC