New planning application puts Burger King back on the map

This week’s planning list contains a seemingly innocuous planning application submitted by BKUK Group Limited, applying for an extension of trading hours to allow for 24 hour operation of its drive in/collection operation at Burger King in Park Road South.

The company is also requesting that the operating hours for its restaurant be shifted earlier by one hour from the current 06:00 – 24:00 opening time, to 05:00 – 23:00.

The HCC Highways consultee response, which incidentally recommends ‘no objection’, gets the simple maths wrong and also misses the main point. The primary aim of this request appears to be the exploitation of the demand for late-night delivery by effectively transforming the unit into an overnight dark kitchen, catering to platforms such as Deliveroo, Just Eat, and Uber Eats.

HBC Planning Services need to consider this carefully and we would encourage public debate. Setting the precedent by granting this change to Burger King could start a chain of similar requests by Domino’s, KFC, GDK and even possibly McDonalds.

With the clearance of Bulbeck Road for redevelopment and other positive moves on town centre regeneration expected soon, HBC should perhaps think carefully before setting an unfortunate precedent which could well generate a significant upsurge in late night delivery traffic into and out of the town centre.

If you want to add your comment on the planning application, please click on this link and follow the instructions on the form. If you need help filling this in, this HCS page might be of assistance.

The Bedhampton / St Faith’s ward boundary

This planning application highlights the fact that last year’s boundary changes means that Park Road South and much of West Street now forms the border between St Faith’s ward and Bedhampton Ward, highlighted by the red line on the map below. The blue circle shows the site of Burger King.

With the increase in residential traffic generation along West Street from recent and current planning applications for Kingscroft Farm, Abrams Way, Palk Road and the potential future redevelopment of the Portsmouth Water HQ site, all six councillors from both wards should be keeping an eye on the traffic generated along that border.

By the same token, the relentless and unmanaged growth of commercial traffic along Park Road South should also be attracting the attention of those same six councillors.

Recent and committed commercial developments north of the railway are now changing Park Road South into a major arterial road, ramping up commercial traffic volumes and widening the split between the two distinct parts of Havant town centre.