CITY CENTRE FLATS PLAN FINALLY GETS GO-AHEAD

Future of Italian restaurant in doubt after scheme is approved

Having tried everything else, is it time to give a second referendum, the so-called People’s Vote, another look?

PLANS for a seven-storey block of flats in the city centre have been approved – the fourth project submitted by the developer.

Over the past eight years, Wellford Estates has lodged a series of proposals for a mixed-use development in Pall Mall, Hanley.

The ‘major application’ would create 37 flats and three shops, but would include demolishing the Roberto’s Italian restaurant as well as the former Bunker 13 rock club.

Roberto’s manager John Mccusker says its future is uncertain. He said: “We have been to this point before so you never quite know.

“If we do have to leave the building then we will either have to move to a new location or close completely.

“That would depend if we could find somewhere suitable or how everything would plan out. I don’t really know if it will happen.

“It has been approved, but it can lie with planning permission. That’s what usually happens. The application can run out and expire so a new one will have to go in. It’s business as usual at the restaurant for now.”

Alix Jackson, of Stokeon-trent City Council’s city centre department, says the development needs to be of the ‘highest design quality’ to match the Piccadilly streetscape. She said: “A number of the units to be demolished are currently vacant and in poor condition, which detracts from the attractiveness of the city centre.

“The development of a high quality scheme should be able to attract new retail occupiers to the area, which will complement the existing city centre offer and benefit the vitality and viability of the wider city centre.

“It is, however, hoped that the existing uses on the site can be re-located either within the new scheme or elsewhere in the city centre.”

A city council report on the latest application says it had addressed several concerns from the previous plan.

It adds: “The scheme would deliver a number of city centre homes and commercial uses. The proposal would also have an acceptable impact in terms of design, amenity, highway safety and all relevant environmental matters, subject to conditions to secure specific details.”

Wellford Estates originally secured permission for a mixed-use development in 2010. This was followed by revised proposals for a 77-bedroom hotel two years later, but neither materialised.

Another scheme for flats and shops was withdrawn this year.