Permission has been granted to a Callow’s Yard plan to turn 17 and 19 Malew Street from one back into two shops and to create two single-bed residential units out of the courtyard-facing space behind.
In addition to this, 14 Arbory Street will be turned into a bin store and the central courtyard (which is currently covered by decking) will be paved and planted with trees and low maintenance shrubs. Pedestrian access between Malew and Arbory streets through the complex will be retained.
A series of applications to convert Callow’s Yard from retail to residential use in 2014 led to public meetings at which residents expressed their fears the plans would ‘fundamentally alter’ the town.
In relation to this application, planners said: ‘The policy is clear on there being a preference for retail uses on the ground floor within the town centres.
‘However, the policy also acknowledges that in order to achieve town and village centres which are attractive, viable and full of vitality it is essential to encourage a mix of different uses to locate within them and in this respect the Callow’s Yard development has introduced a mix of uses within it – residential, tourist accommodation, shops, cafes and take-aways all of which add to the range of shops and services within the town. Within the courtyard there is a mix of residential/tourist accommodation as well as the cafe and as such, the appearance and character of this part of the complex is different from those of Malew and Arbory Streets.
‘As such, whilst there is a preference for retail use on the ground floor in town centres, in this case, it is not felt to be appropriate to apply this strictly as the majority of the units within the central area are not retail at present.
‘The proposed single bed units are appropriate to their context and are considered to be acceptable.’
The bin store ‘is clearly going to be useful to the complex as a whole’, they added.
The proposed paving will make the central courtyard ‘a more attractive area and one which is both easier to maintain and more easily usable: at present, the timber decked area can be slippery underfoot in wet weather and ... does not attract much public use.’
Planners concluded: ‘On balance, is it (sic) considered that the scheme has a positive impact on both the complex as a whole and the town centre. Both the retail assessment and the inspector considering PA 14/00338/B (to convert much of CY to residential use; the plan was passed at appeal) note that it is important to the town centre as a whole that Callow’s Yard succeeds as a mixed use concept and, like the conclusion in the earlier case, it is considered that the application can be expected to achieve that aim.’