A NATIONAL pizza chain has been given the go-ahead to open a takeaway in Wrexham town centre.

Earlier this year a planning application requested permission for a sub-division and change the use of the ground floor of a unit at Regent House in Regent Street, Wrexham, into a Papa John’s pizza takeaway and delivery.

Wrexham Council’s planning committee has now granted permission for the development which will be located in the former Carpet Direct shop.

Planning control officer David WIlliams told the meeting yesterday: “It lies in close proximity to Wrexham town centre and within the Grosvenor Road Conservation Area.

“The application has been amended to deal with a number of issues in terms of the appearance of the building.

“Amendments have been made to a prominent flue which would have an adverse effect on the conservation area but also the setting of nearby listed buildings.

“They have now incorporated a low level extraction, so from conservation there are no objections.

“Highways have raised no objections. The initial scheme provided only on space to the rear. This has now been extended to five spaces and there are also limited spaces available up to a 30-minute wait in bays on the adjoining highway.

“Because of the proximity of the development to Caxton Place – the nearest residential properties in the region of 60 to 70 metres away – we felt the need to control the hours of use.”

Mr Williams explained the council had set out a condition restricting the closing time of the unit to midnight on any day, but the applicant had since stated they would be willing to accept a closing time of 11pm Sunday to Thursday and midnight on a Friday and Saturday.

Grosvenor ward councillor Marc Jones said: “I think we should take advantage of the option to reduce hours to 11pm. There are concerns by residents over the impact it would have, notwithstanding the delivery nature of a lot of the trade.

“There is a lot of concern about the lack of parking. There are six delivery vehicles and staff working there and people stopping there to get takeaways. There is only room for five.

“We already have a parking deficit in that area. People in Caxton Place have problems accessing their own block of flats at times because people park illegally to get to the sorting office and this, I fear, will only make things worse.

“I would like reassurance for those residents that we are not going to create a greater problem by allowing this.”

Mr Williams replied: “They have provided parking to the rear for up to five but there is also parking in close proximity, albeit short stay.

“That would, I would suggest, preclude a lot of the people who live there from parking there during the evenings so they would be available for customers.”

Cllr I David Bithell said: “The concern I have is most orders are 60 per cent deliveries and 40 per cent will be the public walking in.

“It is going to produce litter. Can we ask they to purchase extra waste bins in and around that area?”

The committee agreed to add litter bins to the conditions of the approval, along with the restrictions on the operating hours proposed by Cllr Jones as offered by the applicant.

Cllr David Maddocks said: “I think it is a great opportunity for the town. It is an empty shop which will be turned into a business, creating jobs.”

The plans stated the takeaway would create 10 full-time jobs and 10 part-time jobs.