Sutton Council have received a pair of planning applications from Costa Coffee for the conversion of the former Johnson Dry Cleaners and the former Greengrocers into new Costa Coffee shop at Units A and B 31-33 High Street, Carshalton SM5 3AX.
The following are Sutton Council’s Planning application nos :-
a) C2013/67056/FUL for the use of ground floor of premises as a coffee shop (Mixed A1/A3 use) and provision of an outdoor seating area at front.
b) C2013/67100/ADV is for the display of an internally illuminated fascia letter sign, an internally illuminated double sided projecting sign, a non-illuminated double window poster panel sign and a retractable awning sign.
residents may wish to inspect and comment upon the plans by clicking on the links below:-
http://213.122.180.105/FASTWEB/detail.asp?AltRef=C2013/67056
http://213.122.180.105/FASTWEB/detail.asp?AltRef=C2013/67100
I think the application should be refused on the grounds that it we already have an award-winnng independent fair trade coffee bar/caffe by the bus stop, the independent Grazie Mille on the corner, another cafe by the Post Office. The arrival of a big chain like Costa could be detrimental to the trade of the existing businesses.
The planning application is unlikely to be refused as we mentioned in our letter to local residents as there is no significant change of planning use class under the planning legislation laid down by various governments over the years. As Mrs. Thatcher herself once said: “You can’t buck the market”.
Is it not better to have someone in those two shops than them be empty? The only people that can afford the rent are the big players. I would imagine that they would increase foot fall to the village, as they draw a different client base to the village. It will also produce jobs for locals. If people dont want to go there dont go. If people want to help Carshalton then surely the thing to be doing to getting the council to change the parking restrictions in the car park to allow 1hr free parking, that will also help Carshalton.
Thanks for your comments. I agree that it is of course better to have the shops occupied. I am not sure that your statement that the “only people that can afford the rent are the big players”. Carshalton Village shops clearly have a very high proportion of small players! There have for many decades been some chain shops but I think you will agree that there is a far smaller proprtion of chain shops in Carshalton Village, than say in nearby Wallington or Sutton Town Centres. There is quite a lot of free parking in the streets available a short walk from the High Street. The borough’s car parks are charged in a similar way right across the borough with one or two notable exceptions.
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Given that these shops have been empty for quite some time surely its better to have tenants in there than none .. particularly as in the current state the empty shops are a bit of an eyesore. I appreciate its not ideal to have a chain take up the tenancy (i would have preferred an indie coffee shop) but at least Costa will bring footfall to the village and hopefully be a spur to increasing trade to the shops that are already there. I’m sure the employment will also be welcomed with 10-20 jobs being created.
I agree with Rebecca in regards to the parking, more free parking would encourage footfall to the village and although there is free parking in the nearby streets maybe having an hour or so free in the car park could make Carshalton a more attractive place to shop .. its a rarity to have a grocers/deli, bakers etc on a local High Street and hopefully over the course of time we may get less estate agents in the Village and more outlets that benefit the community.
Thanks for your comments. I think we would all agree with everything said!