Sainsbury’s plans to make changes to the back of a currently empty shop look likely to receive planning permission next week.
The company wants to make various changes to the outside and inside of 100-104 Church Road, Hove, which was known as Organic Earth from May 2020 to September 2022.
Officials have advised Brighton and Hove City Council’s Planning Committee to grant planning permission at a meeting next week.
The site has a long history as a shop. In the early 20th century, the ground floor of all three buildings was occupied by Hunters Dairy. It became known as Cullens and later Four Seasons before becoming Organic Earth.
The shop is part of a grade II listed terrace within the Avenues Conservation Area, in Hove.
Proposed changes outside the building include closing the rear lift shaft, removing unused vents and ducts, removing a gas cooler, demolishing a “lean to” building and installing two fan condenser units.
Neighbours have sent five objections, with concerns about noise from the plant units.
One objector, whose details were redacted on the council’s website, said: “The current refrigeration unit is contained within the existing ‘lean-to building’ with soundproofing measures (previously described as ‘plant room’) has already been the subject of noise complaints.
“To have open condenser units on a gantry would only produce greater noise disturbance. The condenser unit should be incorporated in the basement along with the other plant equipment to contain any noise.”
Neighbours said that they were happy to learn that no deliveries or servicing would take place at the back of the building where Sainsbury’s wants to carry out the external work.
But they were concerned that a “noise impact assessment” was carried out from Church Road rather than Albany Mews at the back of the site.
Sainsbury’s said: “The proposed scheme will remove the unlawful plant which has caused issues for the neighbours and will visually clear up the rear elevation by removing unnecessary venting and equipment and the unnecessary lift gate.
“The noise impact assessment includes mitigation measures which will be incorporated to protect the amenity of the surrounding occupiers. This brings the plant planning control and helps to unclutter the rear yard.”
Planning officials have already approved a proposal to put up new shop signs.
The Planning Committee is due to meet at Hove Town Hall at 2pm on Wednesday 2 August. The meeting is scheduled to be webcast on the council’s website.
It is glum, this becoming another chain store.
Better than empty shabby shop
Not being funny but where exactly is a massive HGV meant to unload here if not around the back. There is a bus stop and traffic lights here and no loading bays. Maybe they should remove all the parking on this block and put a loading bay there (with a camera) otherwise it will be mayhem at every delivery. Tbh whole of this stretch would benefit from sorting the pavements, roads and loading bays out. Same could be said for blatchington road and George Street.
Yet another outlet for a cartel food factory chain with complicit approval. Local enterprise and diversity doesn’t stand a chance in their brave new world.