Council rejects plans for 'run down' Chesterfield site to be transformed

Cosimo De Girolamo submitted a planning application to Chesterfield Borough Council seeking permission to breathe new life into a ‘run down, boarded up’ garage at New Queen Street, Chesterfield.

In his application, Mr De Girolamo said the building would operate as a café during the day and a wood fired pizzeria at night, creating 10 jobs.

However, the borough council’s planning committee met on Monday and threw out the application over concerns about parking.

A report stated: “Customers ariving by vehicle will expect to park close by, especially during inclement weather, and it is likely therefore that due to the limited opportunities available this will lead to indiscriminate parking including parking on double yellow lines or contrary to the resident parking restrictions.

“In the opinion of the local planning authority the proposal is not acceptable having regard to the limited local parking opportunities available for staff and customers and which is likely to result in indiscriminate parking in the area contrary to the best interest of highway safety and residential amenity.”

Derbyshire County Council’s public health department raised a number of objections to the application.

The department stated: “Chesterfield has both the highest count (123) and rate (117.9 per 100,000 population) of fast food outlets of all local authorities across Derbyshire.

“The proportion of year six children that measured and classified as obese for the ward of this proposal was 19.6 per cent. The Derbyshire average is 17.6 per cent.

“Excess weight in adults in Chesterfield is 65.6 per cent. The England average is 61.3 per cent.”

The borough council received 17 letters of objection and five letters of support to the application.

Mr De Girolamo could not be reached for comment.