New restaurant planned for empty Lancaster city centre shop

Monday, 5 August 2024 09:02

By Greg Lambert @greglam72

18 King Street in Lancaster could reopen as a restaurant

A new restaurant is being planned for an empty shop in Lancaster city centre.

Planning permission has gone in to Lancaster City Council for 'change of use' on 18 King Street.

If approved, this would allow a restaurant with a dining area seating up to 20 customers in what is currently a vacant ground floor shop.

The shop has been empty for some time. It is located next door to the former Filbert's Bakery, which closed earlier this year.

The planning application also includes part retention of the extractor flue to the rear, installation of related equipment, mitigation features and other internal alterations.

The premises has been a mobile phone sales and repair shop, and was used as a restaurant/hot food takeaway as recently as 10 years ago.

The applicant is Mr Sutharsan Nagalingam.

A planning application for it to become a takeaway was refused by the council in 2023.

A Design and Access statement issued with the plans, available on the Lancaster City Council website, said this was "refused for its use as a takeaway and its impact on public health, this proposal is for (a) restaurant".

"The proposal also addresses and overcomes another reason of refusal regarding flue at the rear elevation and its heritage impact.

"The proposal retains the existing access to the existing shop and maintains the shopfront as it is. It is not proposed to alter the shopfront."

A heritage statement issued with the plans says: "The proposed change of use to a restaurant will cause no harm to the heritage significance of the building or to the conservation area and the surrounding heritage assets.

"Lancaster is known for its surviving eighteenth and early nineteenth century townhouses and it is likely that No.18 belongs to that period."

Lancaster City Council will make a decision on whether to grant planning permission in due course.