Sainsbury’s has been given less than four weeks to come up with changes to its shop front or face prosecution for advertising without permission.
The supermarket giant opened its new Express store in Western Road, Hove, opposite Tesco, earlier this month – before its application for planning permission had been considered.
Last week, this was refused for “failing to respect the style, proportions and detailing of the parent building and surrounding shopfronts” – and therefore harming the Brunswick conservation area.
Planning officers from Brighton and Hove City Council also said that the plans submitted did not reflect the shop front and fascia which had been constructed.
Now, the council has given Sainsbury’s until April 26 to submit revised applications for a new shop front and advertisements that address the council’s concerns.
If these are approved, it will be given a short period of time to implement them. But if none are submitted, Sainsbury’s could be prosecuted for displaying an advertisement without consent and the council says it will issue an enforcement notice in relation to the unauthorised shop front.
Councillor Lynda Hyde, chairman of the planning committee, said: “The council’s planning enforcement team is committed to making sure that planning regulations are adhered to within the city.
“As with most enforcement cases Sainsbury’s have been given a window of opportunity to remedy this breach of planning control themselves without formal action being taken.
“However, if they don’t sort the matter out voluntarily officers will not hesitate to take formal action.”
This is one of three new stores Sainsbury’s is opening in Brighton and Hove this year. It also has plans to open and Express store in Portland Road, Hove, and this week it submitted plans to open another Express store in Preston Road, Brighton.
Leader of the council Mary Mears last week said she hoped that the council could stop the ongoing march of the supermarket giants in the city, saying they were a threat to independent traders.
And what about a retrospective enforcing order on the Tesco across the road while they are at it? To remove all the solid (concrete?) infill and reinstate the lovely original shop front and windows of the building they destroyed at thestart of the 90s?