The creation of a roof terrace and beer garden at Falmouth’s Wetherspoon pub would cause undue noise according to the planning officer who has turned down the scheme.
Cornwall Council’s planning department refused the application for the Packet Station on the Moor saying it would “generate noise disturbance” from customers and refrigeration equipment.
The council’s public protection noise and odour planning team said it felt the predicted usage has been “underestimated” by the applicant.
“Especially in the summer months,” it said, “and the usage will be much more, in turn producing higher sound levels.”
The other reason for refusal was the harm to the conservation area.
“This is not sufficient to overcome the concerns,” said the officer. “As the predominance of when the neighbouring properties would like to use their gardens or have their windows open would be when customers would be likely to use the roof terrace.
“The continual noise disruption which is all round 365 days a year, with both a background humdrum noise and sharp variations, would be harmful to neighbour amenity,” wrote the planning officer.
In particularly there was concern about the impact on a property in Edgecombe Villas.
The officer said the addition of new plant material was also a concern.
The roof currently has no public access and is covered in plant material with netting above. There is a flat-roofed upper level that provides a staired access to the main roof.
The company said the space was currently “underused” and home to “unsightly” ducting and ventilation equipment.
KD Paine and Associates Ltd applied to Cornwall Council on the pub’s behalf for permission to create the terraced seating area on the flat roof and said access would be via a new lift inside.
The company said there would be no public address system or live or piped music “of any kind” played on the terrace.
Source: Cornwall Live
