OWNERS of a popular county firm, which specialises in Polish cuisine, will have to wait several weeks for a decision on their proposals after planners postponed deciding them.
The Old Granary Pierogi in Marden is run by Emilia Koziol Wisniewski, Piotr Wisniewski and Jacek Koziol who settled in the county and embraced British cuisine before infusing it with their Polish culinary knowledge.
Their landlord Dawn Jones applied for a retrospective change of use for the Walkers Green unit from A1 retail class to B2 which is required for light industry appropriate in a residential area.
Speaking at last week’s planning committee meeting, she said the site had been previously used in a similar fashion as a butcher’s shop for more than 20 years.
“Because of this, I had no reason to think I would need to change the classification,” she said.
“This business is not and will not be the size and scale of Sun Valley but it does contain a very small industrial kitchen.
“Surely there must be a way of compromising this situation to keep this wonderful award winning enterprise in the village.”
Objector Janet Lloyd said she had complained about noise as the site’s door was only 10 metres from her bedroom.
Marden parish councillor Geoff Lloyd said they had objected to the plans but were not against the current use.
He explained they wished it to remain as retail or for the council to consider a B1 status.
Councillors said they struggled with the difference between B1 and B2 classifications and coun Alan Seldon proposed deferring the decision which the committee backed unanimously.
He said: “I’d be inclined to ask for deferral of this application for more information so we can make a balanced judgement of the impact of the business and the needs of the community.”
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