Thornaby store’s takeaway bid turned down

Efforts to open a takeaway at a popular convenience store have been stopped by officials.

Thornaby’s Gurbachan Sandhu lodged plans to open up a food joint next to his off-licence on Cumbernauld Road last year.

But the plans triggered a petition with more than 100 signatures led by Mandale and Victoria councillor Luke Frost over fears too many takeaways were opening up in the town.

Now Stockton Council planning officials have refused the plans over a “significantly incongruous” extraction flue lined up at the back of the property – with fears it would cause significant noise and disturbance to nearby homes.

Sandhu had invested £50,000 in his business to modernise the store in a bid to make it more appealing to customers.

Planning documents showed the business had changed hands no fewer than four times in the past seven years with a warning the business was “not as profitable as expected”.

This sparked the bid to convert the shop’s store room to a takeaway to secure its financial future.

Cllr Frost wrote to the council last year complaining the town had “reached saturation point” when it came to takeaways.

At the time, Sandhu said he was shocked by the comments – adding the outlet would source its ingredients locally and focus on high quality food.

“It’s something I take very seriously and we do not want something that plagues the health of our community,” he added.

There were 17 letters of objection to the takeaway bid with worries about noise, smells, litter and the potential health risk another takeaway could have in Thornaby.

Council officials were satisfied the takeaway wouldn’t break planning rules on these concerns – but the “unsightly outlook” of the flue for residents on Harlow Crescent tipped the balance against the bid.

Cllr Frost denied having a conflict of interest on the matter last year – saying his family’s firm, Urban Foods Teesside, operated in a different sector to hot food takeaways.

He welcomed the council’s decision on Cumbernauld Road.

The Thornaby Independent Association (TIA) member added: “While the grounds for refusal are down to the flue system, and rightly so, the fight from residents has been second to none.

“The passion the residents have shown in not wanting a takeaway has made it very clear that a takeaway is not welcome on the estate.”