Greggs has been given the go-ahead to transform a vacant car showroom in Southampton into a retail bakery. The city council has approved an application relating to a site at the junction of The Avenue and Lodge Road . A council report said: "This local area has a mix of commercial uses, including other food and drink uses, shops, offices and a Travelodge hotel opposite.
"The Local Plan generally supports food and drink uses, subject to conditions to prevent undue noise and disturbance. "A small-scale retail bakery will complement the mix of uses locally to preserve the vitality of the local area, but is not considered to detract from the vitality of Bevois Valley Local Centre. "The proposal would retain an employment use on site, complying with the requirements of policy CS7.
"There are only minor changes proposed to the existing shopfront and the scale and massing of the building itself will not change. "Proposed landscaping around the boundaries of the site and the reduction in car parking would be a welcome improvement to the streetscene, the setting of locally listed buildings, and the wider conservation area." The report said the proposed bakery was likely to attract more people than the car showroom.
But it added: "This change in the nature of the use on site would not be considered out of character for this busy local area.".
