CONTROVERSIAL plans to build a new home at the back of a popular Italian restaurant are set to rubber-stamped despite neighbours’ concerns about road safety.
A two-storey, four-bedroom home is proposed at the site of The Don Beni restaurant in Winkfield Row.
But the building of the home would see part of the space used for parking behind the eatery taken up, meaning the restaurant would only be able to offer 21 bays — three spaces less than is required by the council’s parking standards.
This reduction in parking bays has sparked neighbours and Winkfield Parish Council into opposing the plan, with both the authority and 13 residents sending in objections primarily concerned about road safety.
READ MORE: Fears raised for special needs children
One neighbour wrote: “Erecting any dwelling in the car park of Don Beni, which is a busy and well-frequented restaurant by people who drive there from outside of the local area, will inevitably cause parking issues.
“Already when the venue is busy there is not enough car parking within the designated car park and the residents opposite have to endure a lot of parking outside their houses.
“This house will not contribute positively to the village — it will be to its detriment and to that of its residents.”
Winkfield Parish Council recommended refusal of the proposal, writing to Bracknell Forest Council (BFC): “The proposal significantly reduces the available parking for customers which would substantially increase on-road parking.
“The Winkfield Row lay-by is the only parking provision for residents and does not have any capacity to accommodate customer parking.
READ MORE: Aldi plans set to get go ahead
“The proposed housing would be an overdevelopment of the site which is even more inappropriate given the site's proximity to a conservation area.
“WPC strongly objects to this proposal.”
BFC’s own highways officer also objected to the proposal.
Despite these objections, a BFC planning officer has suggested the plans are acceptable.
This is because during an appeal in which an original plan for two three-bedroom homes at the site was thrown out, the Planning Inspectorate acknowledged the space behind Don Beni should accommodate 22 car parking spaces.
Therefore the proposed 21 spaces is only one less than required by the Planning Inspectorate, meaning BFC planning bosses considered whether this shortfall would create an “unacceptable” level of harm on road safety.
In approving this scheme, the planning officer assigned to this application wrote, Don Beni would be forced to use this space as parking whereas currently, the restaurant owners have no obligation to do so.
READ MORE: Police hunt for jogger
The officer assigned suggested this benefit and other advantages of the plan outweighed any harm caused by the parking space issue.
Councillors will make the final decision on the plans at a meeting on Thursday, July 16.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here