No planning change for Thame guitar shop

SOUTH Oxfordshire District Council has refused a planning application, to convert the guitar shop in Cornmarket, Thame, into a two-bedroom home.

The property is a Grade ll, listed building, originally a 16th Century corn warehouse. Planners gave their reasons for refusing the application as follows:

“In the absence of an acoustic report and recommended mitigation, the proposed development would lack sufficient information to demonstrate that the residential amenity of future occupiers could be adequately protected from external noise nuisance. As such, the proposal would be contrary to Policies G2, EP2 and H4 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2011.”

Thame Town Council had recommended refusal of the application citing loss of retail use, insufficient parking and ‘poor residential amenity for future occupiers’.

‘Online sales’ affecting business

At a meeting of Thame Town Council’s Planning and Environment Group, Jeff Lowe, Planning Consultant for the owner of Vintage & Modern Guitars Ltd, had explained that his client had specialised in the sale of guitars for many years and whilst the business remained successful, there was an increasing shift to online sales. It was for this reason, he said, that permission had been sought to alter the building to residential use and relocate the business.

No Appeal against the decision by SODC, has so far been lodged.