Soft touch’ fear over shop plan

A PLAN to convert a shop into living accommodation should be rejected, said town councillors on Monday.

Members of Royston Town Council's planning committee did not support a proposal to convert an empty shop in Kneesworth Street, Royston, into a flat.

The shop had been built during the development of the Stamford Yard site.

Cllr Rod Kennedy said he believed that a planning condition at the time was that the property should be retained as a shop.

"A condition should be seen as a condition," he said.

He added that he believed the empty premises had not been "actively marketed" as a commercial concern.

Cllr Paul Grimes said that to allow the scheme may result in North Herts District Council being seen as "a soft touch" when it came to demanding conditions on planning applications.

- A proposal for large signs at Tesco supermarket would be a distraction to motorist on the A505 Royston bypass, say town councillors.

Members of the planning committee decided not to support an application for the new signs at the superstore.

Cllr Kennedy said: "The idea has always been for a sign to be seen from the Royston bypass, but this would just be a distraction to motorists."

- Support has been given to plans to build behind The White Bear pub in Royston.

But members of Royston Town Council's planning committee were concerned about road safety issues.

The plan is to build a bungalow behind the pub and have a vehicle access on to Mill Road.

Members said they could support the plan as long as there were no objections from Herts County Council's highways department about the access to the site.

- A plan to convert a video hire shop into a vet's surgery has been given the support of the town council.

But concern had been raised about parking near the proposed surgery.