Peterborough pizza parlour has canopy application rejected

The Pizza Parlour on Cowgate put in a retrospective planning application for a permanent canopy that has originally replaced a retractable one.

The canopy was made of grey powder coated aluminium steel channels and included grey weather resistant fabric and transparent perspex.

The application received no objections from the Local Highway Authority but the council’s Conservation Office objected on the grounds that the canopy had to be retractable because of the fact the shop sits within the City Conservation area.

The objection stated: “The Peterborough Shop Front Design Guidance SPD (2014) states ‘If the building is a heritage asset or is within a conservation area, only fully retractable canopies will be permitted’.

“The proposals is within the City Centre Conservation Area and No.5 is a heritage asset which contributes positively to the street scape. The previous was a simple retractable design, which incorporated well with the fascia and was in keeping with the street.

“The proposal is for a non-retractable canopy, with side advertising and constructed with a visible permanent frame. The design is awkward and the incongruous character is exacerbated when viewed in conjunction with the positive canopies adjacent. This will be exacerbated further by the permanent fixing and its location above a main thoroughfare requiring passing beneath.

The proposal is contrary to the Peterborough Shop Front Design Guidance SPD (2014) and incongruous with the street scene.”

Planning officers agreed with the assessment and in their decision stated: “The retrospective canopy, by virtue of its design, unacceptably impacts upon the character and appearance of the site and the surrounding City Centre Conservation Area. This is specifically in relation to the fixed and non-retractable operation which is at odds with the retractable canopies visible within the street scene, as well as being wholly contrary to Design Principle 3: Blinds and Canopies of the Peterborough Shopfront Design Guidance SPD (2014), which permits only retractable canopies in Conservation Areas. The proposal results in less than substantial harm to the character of the City Centre Conservation Area, which is not outweighed by the limited public benefits.”

Details about the application can be found on the council’s planning portal using reference 21/00961/FUL.