This petition calls on Cardiff Council to support local businesses, residents and the community and refuse planning applications to convert retail/other units near homes into bars, restaurants or cafes (particularly those with outside drinking or dining spaces). Everyone signing confirms they live, work or study in Cardiff. 

Lead Petitioner: Neo Watts, 198 Kings Road, Cardiff, CF119DF (pontcannaresidential@gmail.com)

We call on Cardiff Council to:

• Support Welsh businesses in suitable locations that have planning permission, particularly those promoting Welsh language, culture, and produce
• Reject applications for the development of large outdoor eating and drinking venues adjoining residential homes and gardens contrary to Policy R8 ‘Food and Drink Uses’ in Cardiff Local Development Plan 2006-2026 which states, ‘Food and drink uses are unlikely to be acceptable within or adjacent to residential areas, where they would cause nuisance and loss of amenity’. Retrospective planning permission should not be granted investigations by the Council have proven noise or other nuisance and resulted in formal Notices being issued by the Council
• Ensure factual inaccuracies in Planning Applications are clearly highlighted in reports to Planning Committees 
• Reject applications to convert shops into large bars/nightlife venues outdoors a few metres from neighbouring homes in residential areas
• Not support/reward developers who ignore planning rules/regulations to expand without considering neighbours as this sets a dangerous precedent
• Refuse the Planning Application 24/01293/FUL and any future applications for A3 usage at Pontcanna Mews as the site is not suitable
• Support local community hub, Chapter Arts Centre every way possible as it continues to support/connect all parts of the local and wider community

Background

Cardiff Council’s planning policy states, ‘Food and drink uses are unlikely to be acceptable within or adjacent to residential areas, where they would cause nuisance and loss of amenity’. We call on Cardiff Council to apply this policy across the city for all change of use requests - particularly for retrospective applications where the Council has taken formal action responding to proven nuisance.

Independent businesses should be supported, but not to the detriment of residents/neighbours. Bars, restaurants and outdoor cafés in small, enclosed spaces adjoining residential properties should not be given planning permission. The fact that a business has been able to expand and operate by ignoring planning rules should not be a reason for granting retrospective planning permission to landlords, particularly when there is a history of complaints.

This principle needs to apply across Cardiff, including the retrospective application for Pontcanna Mews. The landlord submitted Planning Application 24/01293/FUL to Cardiff Council after years of activities and expansion of the site without planning permission. He applied for flexible A1/A2/A3/B1 uses for the six units and to use the outside space and permanent enclosed wooden structure built after the pandemic. Neighbours objected as they have suffered nuisance, disturbance and loss of amenity. Cardiff Council has received numerous complaints about this expansion and taken formal action (Noise Abatement Notice 2023).

This site behind the Co-op was converted from derelict storage sheds into six A1 retail units in 2015. These shops provided opportunities for local businesses including Canna Deli which opened as a delicatessen in 2015, promoting Welsh produce. The original owner/current licensee investigated a change to A3 use, but did not apply. She informed the Council there were no plans to operate as a restaurant, stating, ‘The premises were small, space limited.' (Licensing Sub Committee, 3 July 2015). The site was later renamed Pontcanna Mews, in the same district as, and close to Chapter Arts Centre.

Chapter Arts Centre is a person-centred community hub supporting hundreds of local artists by providing space, equipment, funding and advice. It is a fully accessible community space open from 8.30 am – 10pm (11 pm weekends), with a theatre, bar, café with outside space with heaters for colder months. It includes a community larder, community garden space and free Wi-Fi, encouraging people to study, work or relax whilst supporting the community. The bar/café has a capacity of 120, with all profits going to support the charity promoting art and work with the community.

An alternative A3 outdoor dining site has remained empty in Pontcanna since January 2024. It was formerly Kindle, a sustainably focused outdoor restaurant that worked closely with local ethical producers. Kindle opened in 2021 and was widely praised and nominated for national awards. In 2023, a year after the end of pandemic planning regulations changes, Canna Deli relaunched its outside drinking and dining spaces, with:

• a new enclosed wooden shed/structure adjoining neighbouring properties
• further outdoor seating for 71 people not shown on the current application (4 x 8-seater wooden tables/benches, 5 x 7-seater fold-down tables attached to the Co-op, plus 4 other seats).

Kindle was easily accessible by bicycle, on foot, or by car with plentiful bicycle and car parking. It was not in a residential area, so noise disturbance was never an issue. Kindle had permission to operate as an A3 bar/restaurant but was forced to close in January 2024 and the site is still empty in November 2024.