The former Medway Autos garage site on the A2 - London Road has
stood empty and remained largely unused for a number of years.
Swale Borough Council has granted permission for a new banqueting hall at London Road, Upchurch.
At a virtual Planning Committee meeting held on Thursday 1st April, councillors unanimously granted applicant Solid Rock Holdings Ltd change of use permission to convert the former Medway Autos showroom and workshop into Christine House.
Swale Borough Council recommended permission be granted subject to conditions having refused two previous applications for change of use. The application was referred to the committee because of objections made by Upchurch and Hartlip Parish Councils.
Proposal
The conversion proposes combining and converting the existing garage site with neighbouring semi-detached bungalows ‘Muriel and Christine’.
The intention is to change the use of the showroom and workshop to a banqueting hall, with food processing and distribution, including the creation of a mezzanine floor and alterations to fenestration. The main use of the building will be a mix of offices, food preparation/cooking and distribution and events management for weddings, receptions and parties of up to 300 guests. The business will be a mix of cooking food and sale as well as events management.
The uses will amount to:
• Events hall for wedding, receptions or banqueting with a maximum 300 seat capacity.
• Local community use for meetings.
• Dedicated training centre for staff and food promotion training.
• Offices for sales/marketing/events and food promotion.
• Commercial kitchen and food preparation for wholesale and catering sale/stock control. Preparation and sales of part and events related merchandise.
The eastern half of the building will be converted into the banqueting hall, with a movable partition to allow the space to be divided into 2 when required. A mezzanine floor will be formed above the toilet area to provide offices, a conference room and a bridal studio. The western half of the building is to be converted into a commercial kitchen and packaging area, event kitchen, office, and lounge area.
Prepacked frozen food will be delivered and food will be prepared on-site and provided for events only. It will not be available for the general public passing by, and the venue will need to be pre-booked for events and meetings.
The two residential bungalows ‘Muriel and Christine’ are to be converted into guest accommodation with 8 bedrooms, including a bridal suite. The rooms will be rented out to guests of events held at the banqueting suite and a wedding gazebo erected to the rear of bungalows.
It is proposed that the existing access and areas of vehicle hardstanding will be retained with 64 parking spaces, including 6 disabled spaces, taxi spaces and a coach space, plus additional cycle parking and storage for the main commercial building. A further 10 parking spaces, including 2 disabled spaces are to be provided for the guest accommodation.
The planning application, reference number: 20/503637/FULL including the report to the Planning Committee can be viewed at: https://bit.ly/31MjTAN
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