Councillors Approve Plans for New Rhos on Sea Bar Despite Resident Concerns

Councillors have backed plans for a new Rhos on Sea bar in a “residential area” despite concerns over late-night opening, outdoor seating, and noise.
Conwy County Council’s planning committee voted with nine councillors in favour of the application, with one councillor abstaining, after a discussion about the impact the proposals could have on nearby residents.
Applicant Grant Hamilton applied to the council’s planning department, seeking permission for a change of use of the former Lillie Lace furnishing shop at 18 Colwyn Avenue.
Following the retirement of the former owner, the fabric and soft furnishings shop closed and had been on the market for 11 months.
But while Conwy County Council planning officers were minded to grant Mr Hamilton permission, Colwyn Bay Town Council objected.
The town council said the application “does not provide sufficient detail, including the proposed operating hours and the nature of the bar”.
Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Jo Nuttall said she wanted restrictions in place to protect residents.
“Obviously this is in my ward, and I feel I have a responsibility to consider the interests of the residents who live closest to the premises, which are the flats on either side,” she said.
“This is a flat roof property, but either side has flats, and opposite has downstairs and upstairs living accommodation. So we need to ensure the proposal can operate without having an unreasonable impact on residential amenity.
“The premises are situated within a predominantly residential area, and there are particular issues around late-night customer noise, external seating, and customer dispersal, deliveries, waste collections, which I believe should be properly addressed as part of the planning process.
“In particular, I feel it should be clearly defined hours for the use of the external tables and seating, with possibly a thought towards nine o’clock and not ten o’clock in the week and ten o’clock on Friday and Saturday evening.
She added: “This would allow the business to make use of an outside area while recognising that customers sitting outside and talking late into the evening can have a significantly greater impact on nearby residents than customers inside the premises.”
She also said there should be conditions preventing “amplified music” or entertainment in the outside seating area, with staff managing customers’ behaviour and preventing people from congregating outside.
Planning officers said it was reasonable to request outside seating was restricted from 9pm Sunday-Thursday and 10pm Fridays and Saturdays.
But officers said the applicant had indicated they wanted to operate between 10am and 1am seven days a week.
Cllr Nuttall said: “I think 1am in a residential street is too late.”
She said she understood later times at the weekend but said the business should look to close at 10pm during the week.
Cllr David Carr questioned whether it was fair to put so many restrictions on the business.
“I’m just a bit concerned about the extent of the regulations and restrictions. Are other businesses providing a similar service in the county subject to all these regulations and restrictions?” he said.
“And I think Cllr Jo (Nuttall) wants to add even more restrictions and regulations.
“Could it actually endanger this business being a going concern? I think we are going far too far with the regulations quite honestly, yet we do want to protect residents in a residential area.”
Planning officer Paula Jones said there was a limit to what could be imposed through conditions through the planning process, citing staff leaving quietly as an example of something that was not enforceable through planning legislation.
Ms Jones said controls on the collection of waste and deliveries needed to be reasonable, as there were other businesses in the area.
Cllr Goronwy Edwards proposed councillors went with officers’ recommendation, this was seconded by Cllr Austin Roberts, and the committee backed the plans.
Council planning officers will now go through the suggested conditions proposed by councillors and see what is “applicable”.

By Richard Evans – Local Democracy Reporter

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