Leading pizza franchise, Papa John's, has outlined proposals to take on an empty restaurant in Rotherham town centre that would deliver 20 new jobs.
As one of the largest pizza companies in the world, Kentucky-based Papa John's has over 5,000 establishments, and operates a quality guarantee and commitment to making better pizza. With 400 units in the UK, where it has operated since 2001, the firm is expecting significant growth.
A planning application has been submitted that would enable the franchise to take on the premises at 16 Wellgate that have been empty since last year when it was used as the Taste of Madras restaurant. It was previously know as the Red Pepper Lounge.
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The plans, drawn up by agents at Sanderson Weatherall, are for a change of use from a restaurant (Use Class A3) to a hot food takeaway (Use Class A5) with internal and external alterations.
Internal alterations include installing a customer order and waiting area at the front of the premises, beyond which would be a kitchen, cold store, control hub (dispatch area), washing up area, WC and bin store area.
If approved, the new outlet could create 20 full time jobs.
Liz Williams, managing director of Papa John's UK, said: "The UK offers the biggest market place for pizza sales outside the US and our region represents a huge opportunity for Papa John's and our franchisees. Papa John's stands out because the product is exceptional."
Planning permission is sought for the takeaway to operate from 11:00am to 11:00pm Sunday to Thursday and Bank Holidays and from 11:00am to 01:00am on Fridays and Saturdays.
The plans state that: "As most orders are for home delivery and in view of the peak business hours, it is not expected that the proposed change of use would have an adverse impact on the operation of the local road network or highway safety."
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As the site is considered an edge of centre location in planning terms, a sequential test is included in the plans in line with "town centre first" national and local planning policies. Sequential tests ensure that development is located in the most sustainable location first (usually in town centres), before other, less sustainable locations are chosen.
The test concludes that there no sequentially preferable sites, discounting sites in the town centre due to their size and that they are mainly on pedestrainised streets.
New policies in Rotherham Council's local plan can restrict where takeaways can open. With the application site being edge of centre, the property is located between an A1 shop unit and an A4 pub and will avoid the creation of more than two A5 units being located adjacent to each other.
2 comments:
Rotherham needs some quality restaurants,not more takeaways !👎
Taste of Madras was good too - just had no customers!
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