Kentish Express Ashford & District
Pizza chain targets vacant supermarket lot
A takeaway pizza chain is set to fill a vacant unit at a supermarket in Ashford.
Retail giant Tesco has applied to Ashford Borough Council for planning permission to change the use of the vacant Unit 1 alongside its Moatfield Meadow store at Park Farm into a hot food takeaway.
If approved, Domino’s will fill the unit that previously housed Prim Dry Cleaners.
The Park Farm store would be the second Domino’s branch in Ashford. The other is located in Somerset Road.
Plans to change the building use include the installation of extraction and ventilation equipment and redecorating.
The shop would form part of the Tesco Extra complex, which is noted by agent DPP to have sufficient parking.
The proposed shop operating hours would be from 10am until 2am daily.
In supporting documents, Nicola Waller, assistant planner at DPP, wrote: “Whilst situated in a residential area, the nearest dwellings are over 120 metres away (approx) and separated from the application site by car parking and adjoining commercial units.
“Therefore it is considered that the development would have minimal impact upon the residential amenity.”
Tesco said: “We look to ensure there is a range of services available for customers at our store, and we have reached an agreement with Domino’s to ensure the vacant unit is filled.”
The deadline for submitting comments on the application to the council is Sunday January 22.
Visit planning.ashford.gov.uk for more information and to give your views to the council.
What do you think? Write to Kentish Express, 34-36 North Street, Ashford, TN24 8JR or email kentishexpress@ thekmgroup.co.uk