Plans to extend a Barrow bingo hall is to go before the borough council’s planning committee.
The application for Opera Bingo in Holker Street would see the new space used as a function room and has been recommended for approval to the planning committee meeting on June 14.
In a report produced ahead of the meeting, case officer Jennifer Dickinson says an objection over a potential reduction in light to properties in Shakespeare Street has been received.
She said, however, that the distance between the proposed extension and neighbouring properties meant the impact of the proposal should be minimal.
“Amended plans have also been negotiated, which means the proposed extension now follows the established building line set by the existing boundary wall rather than projecting beyond it, as originally proposed,” the report added.
Concerns have also been raised over the potential for the proposal to create noise nuisance.
In the report, a spokesman for public protection services at the borough council says he has no objections to the application but that the department is ‘watching the area carefully’.
“While the extension is increasing floor space, no noise should be witnessed at the nearest property regardless of any application,” says the spokesman.
“This will never change. Any noise nuisance will be dealt with under the licensing conditions stipulated.
“Therefore, no noise condition can be imposed at planning stage.”
Ms Dickinson said the design of the proposed extension would use brickwork that matched the original bingo hall – which would ‘assist in assimilating the proposal into the host property’.
“Following discussion with the agent, the flat roof has now had a parapet added which improves the visual impact of the extension within the streetscape,” she says.
A representation said bats had been observed using the main building.
However, Ms Dickinson says a bat scoping survey has been submitted by the agent and found that, ‘due to the building being recently renovated and maintained’, there ‘were no gaps suitable for roosting bats identified in or around the building’.
She recommended the extension, which would be 8.2m in width and 10.7m in length, for approval.
