Costa's local franchisee opened without permission on Gloucester Rd last year.
This is now the subject of a public inquiry which will take place on 24th & 25th July at the Council House, starting at 9.30am
The case is heard before a planning inspector from the national planning inspectorate.
Montgomery (the Costa franchise owner) is appealing against the city council’s decision to refuse him permission to change the planning use of the premises to a coffee shop.
Anyone can attend the appeal on the day and ask to speak, but you need to ask the inspector before the case actually begins at 10am
If you want to be fairly sure of being able to speak (though this is in the inspector’s discretion) it is best to email your request to speak beforehand to the case officer. His name is Kevin Carpenter and you can send an email, stating your name and marking it for his attention, to: and quoting the Appeal reference number which is: Appeal Reference APP/Z0116/A/11/2163354
He is not taking any more actual submissions, but will forward all email requests to speak to the planning inspector. So send Kevin Carpenter an email asking to speak at the public inquiry, and put Tuesday 24th July (and maybe 25th) in your diary!!
NB This is only one of the 3 branches the same Franchisee has decided to open without permission. This seems to be a pattern and a systematic abuse of the planning system, which is underway during a period of aggressive branch openings by the largest coffee chain in the world (said to be more branches than McDonalds).
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