New shop plan for former hot food takeaway business in Lancaster

An application for a change of use for the premises which housed a hot food takeaway on Hornbeam Road in Lancaster has been submitted to the city council.

Applicant Edgeplan Ltd, Manchester, have applied for a change of use of the warehouse (Class B8) at 10 Hornbeam Road, Lancaster to a convenience store, (Class E) with an associated extension.

In the planning documents it says 10 Hornbeam Road is a single storey, flat-roofed building, believed to have been previously used as a newspaper storage centre, operated by Smiths News for the distribution of newspapers in the local area.

More recently, the building has been used as a ‘dark kitchen’, akin to a hot food takeaway, which involved home-delivery of pizzas, burgers, fried chicken etc, rather than for sale to visiting members of the public.

The area in which the building is located has a mixed use, with industrial land and buildings to the north and west at Lune Industrial Estate, although immediately to the north-west is a building currently used as a social club known as the Hornet’s Bar, with a function room catering for parties, weddings etc.

In a supporting statement Edgeplan Ltd said: “It is proposed to alter and extend the existing building to provide a convenience store.

“It is proposed to extend the building to the east, adding around 125sqm.

"Planning permission was granted on February 28 2024 for the change of use of the existing building into a cafe (Use Class E) and erection of rear extension (Ref. 23/01246/FUL).

"No condition restricting the use of the premises within Class E was added.

"The existing permission remains an important material consideration in providing a significant fallback position that must be afforded significant weight in the determination of the application.

"Given the identified fallback position, there would be no harm in permitting the proposed change of use of the building to a convenience store, as the use could occur in any case.”

The application is awaiting a decision from Lancaster City Council.

The planning application number 24/00934/FUL can be viewed at https://www.lancaster.gov.uk/planning