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On Wednesday, councillors refused out the drive-thru plans to redevelop the empty Homebase car park in London Road, Vange, three months after originally deferring a decision. Previously, council leader Gavin Callaghan touted the site as having the potential for housing following the announcement that Homebase would close. “The updated National Planning Policy Framework confirms the concerns that we had at the previous meetings, that it’s too close to a school and is not appropriate for the kind of land it’s on,” said Alex Harrison, Labour councillor for Lee Chapel North.
“It’s too close to the school, it will increase traffic in the area and parents will walk their kids there.” The Government’s NPPF instructs councils to refuse plans for fast-food restaurants if they are in walking distance of schools, unless within a town centre. Nethermayne Independent councillor Kerry Smith was one of those to vote in favour of the refusal recommendation.
He said: “Tragically, Homebase has closed, and when I went past it yesterday around school run time, there were parents parked by the gates. If parents are parking at the Homebase gates and walking down to the school to get a small child, that walking route is already established. “Children will use pester power as McDonald’s advertises very heavily to attract children.
” Mr Smith added: “When I went to secondary school there was a McDonald’s right on top of my school gates, and there’s a bit more of me today because of that.” However, not all of Basildon’s planning committee members were in favour of the officers’ recommendation. Councillor Kevin Blake pointed to the fact that there had long been an unregulated burger van operating from the car park.
“If they don’t win this on appeal, I will be staggered,” he said..
