Plans submitted to turn city shop into restaurant

A FORMER city centre shop could be turned into a restaurant after a lack of interest to take it over as a store.

The unit, between Coral and the Leeds Building Society on St John Street, was formerly home to rent-tobuy homewares store Brighthouse.

An application has been made for part of the four-storey building to be turned into a cafe/bar/restaurant.

The application is for a basement, ground and first floor. The second and third floors are in use by a different company.

The building had been being advertised confidentially since July 2015 but Brighthouse has since left.

A letter to Cardiff council’s planning department says “no genuine interest has been received from any retailer”.

“The proposed development would comprise the change of use of the basement, ground and first floors to Class A3 (food and drink) to a cafe/bar/restaurant use to accommodate a high quality national chain operator.”

It adds that another planning application will be submitted for any changes to the shop front and signs.

According to the application, six of the 10 nearest units are shops. On that stretch, none have just a “food and drink” designation – known as A3.

The report reads: “During the pre-application enquiry, a concern was raised that an open Class A3 consent could result in the future use of the premises as a bar/vertical drinking establishment or hot food takeaway, which would impact on the amenity of adjacent occupier/ users and retail function of the wider area.

“To avoid conflict with this, it was suggested that a condition be added to the prospective permission, which would control the type of A3 use that occupied the premises”.

Planner Abigail James, from RPS, writes that the proposal would bring 25 jobs to Cardiff.

The application has been submitted to Cardiff council for a decision.