KFC is coming to Selsdon
18/08/2017 08:47:00.......Posted by Sara Bashford
Last night a local business owner, our PCSO and I spoke at the planning committee meeting against the opening of a KFC in our district centre. However, regardless of our objections and the written ones from other residents the scheme was approved. We had expected this to be the case and we gave many reasons why it shouldn’t but they were ignored. If you want to read what I said, my speech is below. “The main reason for the objection is the over saturation of fast food/ eat in outlets that are diminishing the vibrancy of the district centre. The need to have businesses that attract daytime use of the other shops and services is vital to keep this local high street alive. This fast food outlet won’t do that. I have no specific objection to KFC, this objection would be for any further change of use and fast food outlet in Selsdon. In Selsdon we have a large number of fast food outlets, including, a chicken shop, kebab shop, fish and chip shop, a Chinese and two pizza takeaways, plus many restaurants that provide a takeaway service. We don’t need any more in such a small district centre. I appreciate it would bring an unused site back into use but that isn’t a reason to approve this. We need the right type of business that will be a benefit to the community and other local small businesses.. This KFC will only attract those looking for cheap food and not bring any additional benefit to the area. We know that takeaways create additional rubbish and much of this is left in the local area, being dropped once the cheap meal has been consumed or dropped out of car windows. This will be of detriment to the area and will add to the unkempt look of the road, particularly at the weekend. We have a good street cleaner who tries to keep on top of this but an additional take away appealing to a specific market won’t improve the look of the area. It will attract people late into the evening and as well as creating rubbish will increase the noise to the local population. I have also been asked by the Friends of Littleheath Woods to raise the problem of litter as the wood they look after is very nearby and once a week they have to undertake a litter pick. The majority of what they collect is fast food packaging and they are very concerned this will increase the problem in these fantastic woods. If permission is given can I please ask that an additional bin and increased frequency of emptying is put in place, so the additional rubbish is not left on the street, detracting from the other businesses. This premises is in an area that has a lot of families living nearby and there are many families above the shops as well as in surrounding roads. This needs to be taken into account and I would suggest that this alone should be a reason for refusal. The current request is to allow trading until midnight, this is not appropriate as this is a built-up area with many family homes I would request if permission is given to allow this unwanted take away to open with a closing time of 11pm applied, as it was most recently with Domino’s. If midnight is to be considered it should only be on Friday and Saturday. Parking is also a problem which will increase as there is only limited on road parking and even now without this additional take away, there is double parking in the evening, as those using these establishments don’t think they will be there long, so it doesn’t matter if they double park and obstruct the traffic. This really is a problem we don’t want getting worse. Selsdon is a district centre with some chains but many independent shops and restaurants and my concern is those independent shops will be negatively impacted and lead to an exodus of small businesses as this take away will bring nothing positive to the area. I urge you to reject this negative application. “
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