Appeal over arcade

THE company behind plans for an amusement arcade in Uckfield have lodged their appeal against Wealden District Council s decision to throw it out.

District planners rejected Shaw Leisure s application for the arcade in July this year. The decision to refuse the Tunbridge Wells company s planning application had been made just days after the same council s licensing sub-committee granted a permit for the arcade, at 29 High Street.

Immediately after the decision, applicant Nicholas Shaw revealed his intention to appeal, adding that he was very confident of winning.

This week, details of the appeal were listed in the council s development control north agenda. The appeal is against the refusal of full application for change of use from shop to amusement arcade .

Planners had expressed concerns about a shop site being used for non-retail use, and added that townspeople were worried about an arcade attracting trouble.

At the time, Sergeant Mark Boughton, of Uckfield Police, said anti-social behaviour could be caused as a result of youngsters being attracted to the arcade, and expressed concerns about whether arcade staff could enforce the age restriction of 18 years.

Uckfield Community College principal Craig Pamphilon added that an arcade in the town would lead to an increase in truancy levels at the school, and would tempt children into the town during break periods.

Traders and residents in the town also voiced strong opposition against the proposal. However, Mr Shaw this week said: The district council threw out the application without having anything really concrete to justify it. I have been talking to my planning consultants and they tell me that I have got a very good chance of winning.

A lot of my customers travel from Uckfield and Crowborough to my shop in Tunbridge Wells, and they say to me Why can t we have something like this in our town? .

An informal hearing has been arranged for January next year, where a Government inspector will listen to the views of both the district council and Shaw Leisure. If necessary, a formal hearing could then be arranged, if either side is unhappy with the inspector s decision.

The original application was for 30 fruit machines at the former Excell clothing shop site, to be open from 9am to 6pm Mondays to Fridays.