Costa coffee brew up in Banstead – Walsingham Planning overcome policy objections to achieve the result

Walsingham Planning obtained planning permission for Costa Coffee for a mixed A1/A3 coffee shop in Banstead. The successful application for change of use followed a long search by the company for a store in the village. Walsingham Planning provided pre-acquisition advice on three units in the village, before making the application for change of use of a charity shop to a coffee shop, which was granted permission under delegated powers.

The unit where planning permission was obtained is located within the Prime Shopping Area wherein the Council resist the loss of Class A1 retail frontage, unless the proportion of the identified street frontage occupied by Class A1 retail shops is above 75%. The proportion of A1 units in the frontage had fallen below 75% and so the submission had to demonstrate that the use would sustain and enhance the vitality and viability of the centre.

The Council have a policy document which sets out that the threshold may be dropped to 10% below this level, but there would need to be very special circumstances. Walsingham Planning demonstrated that these circumstances existed with evidence of the advantages of a Costa, the unsuccessful efforts to find a retail occupier and information on other uses in the area and the Council accepted our submissions.

Walsingham Planning successfully obtained permission for a coffee shop in a town where the planners had initially been reluctant to support an application for change of use away from A1.