Rhyl cafe extension plans granted despite residents’ concerns

Plans to expand a Rhyl cafe and bistro have been approved despite councillors raising concerns about the impact on nearby residents.

Stephen Darbey applied to Denbighshire County Council’s planning department for permission to erect a single-storey conservatory extension at The Marsh, on 2 Marsh Road.

The application was recommended for approval by planning officers, despite objections from several residents living on nearby Vezey Street over noise, parking, and disturbance.

Speaking at Wednesday’s planning committee meeting, Cllr James May raised concerns on behalf of residents.

“The concerns I’m raising on behalf of the residents from the immediate area are in relation to the application for the conservatory and extension to The Marsh,” he said.

“I want to make it clear I’m not against local business. I fully appreciate how important they are to the community. But we also have a responsibility to listen to the residents who are nearby.

“I think it’s important to look at the history. The premises have changed from a dry cleaners to a taxi rank, and then a shop and now a cafe bistro. It is quite a change in the nature of the premises, and I believe we need to consider the impact on the surrounding neighbourhood.

“One of the concerns is the size of the actual plot. It is a relatively small site, and I would question whether adding a conservatory is appropriate given the limited space available there.”

He added: “We need to consider how much further development this small area can realistically accommodate, particularly with neighbouring residents’ properties so close; including the footprint of the premises could make an already tight space feel even more enclosed and increase the impact on those living nearby.”

Cllr Julie Matthews also raised concerns about the proposed extension and its potential impact on the surrounding street.

She said: “When I’m looking at the drawings, it does cover the whole length of the building and takes up quite a bit of that car park at the front.

“So I think it might have been beneficial – or is it too late to request a site visit? So we can truly look at the impact of what this is going to have on that residential street as well.”

Cllr Matthews then referred to videos sent to the council showing “incidents” at the premises.

“I was quite alarmed to see the number of incidents that are going on there,” she said.

“I know that’s a licensing issue, but I really, truly believe that should be passed on to them for them to have a look at that urgently really. Because if you’re at home and want to open a window at ten o’clock at night and you are not able to, then that is an issue, isn’t it?

“And as Cllr May said, there have been changes to the use of this building – a dry cleaners, then a shop, and now it is very much a pub with late-night opening.”

The planning report had also summarised residents’ complaints about noise and disturbance, with one stating: “It is not a cafe/bar but a pub.”

The report summarised the complaints: “The premises already cause significant noise and disturbance within a residential area, with music and customer activity clearly audible inside neighbouring homes and gardens.”

But the council report said public protection officers had advised residents that noise and anti-social behaviour concerns were a matter for the police.

Residents also raised concerns about parking, including customers blocking residents’ cars, and children of customers playing in the road.

The conservatory will provide approximately 40 square metres of additional floorspace for the cafe.

Councillors voted against a site visit earlier in the meeting before backing the application in line with officers’ recommendations by 10 votes to eight.

By Richard Evans – Local Democracy Reporter