Fresh food store plans for boarded-up Indian restaurant in Ellesmere Port

Fresh plans have been lodged to build a convenience store on the site of a boarded-up former Indian restaurant in Ellesmere Port. Central England Co-op (CEC), owners of the old Saffron Indian restaurant and Club Xes premises, have submitted a revised planning application after admitting defeat with their original proposals last year.

Back in December, CheshireLive reported that the retail firm were "very disappointed" to be left with "no choice" but to withdraw its plans to knock down the vacant restaurant and replace it with a new convenience store and café. CEC, which specialises in food and funeral care, intended to build a modern, sustainable food store on the fenced off Flatt Lane site.

However, Cheshire West and Chester Council had concerns "with the traffic modelling for this scheme and the conclusion that the proposed development would not result in a severe residual traffic impact". Another major stumbling block for the council was what they perceived as the applicant's inability to demonstrate there are no suitable or available sites nearby.

READ MORE: Police issue update over fire at former Indian restaurant and nightclub in Ellesmere Port Firefighters were called to the blaze at Saffron over the weekend

READ MORE: Food retailer has 'no choice' but to pull plug on Ellesmere Port store plans Central England Co-op wanted to knock down a former Indian restaurant and replace it with a store and café

Despite that blow, the retailer has returned with fresh plans that it claims have taken into account those comments and ultimately have led to the scheme being reduced. The proposed store, which would create 15 jobs, will include a new car park, community sitting area and "landscape enhancements throughout the site".

The planning application states: "The proposed development seeks to re-develop an existing site with a retail unit of a similar scale to the existing building on site. It is therefore deemed that the proposed development will safeguard the quality of life for residents in the surrounding area and will not lead to any adverse impacts on outlook, privacy, light, noise, or odour.

"The proposed development will utilise the existing access used by the former restaurant on site. Furthermore, the scheme provides a total of 32 car parking spaces, including 2 disabled spaces, 1 parent and child space, 2 motorcycle spaces and 4 cycle spaces in accordance with the Cheshire West and Chester Parking Standards.

"It is also significant to note that the proposed development is located in a highly sustainable location, on the edge of the town centre, with bus stop and pedestrian links within close proximity. Furthermore the scheme also incorporates new pedestrian links into the site, thus improving accessibility to the site by foot.

"In summary, it is considered that the proposed development has been designed to incorporate safe access and adequate parking provision as well promote sustainable transport."

The restaurant building, which housed the town's last remaining nightclub and is most widely known as being the former Viscount pub, was purchased by the independent retailer in 2022. Saffron had shut its doors for good in December of the previous year, with a notice left on the entrance doors stating: "Saffron is closed permanently, sorry".

Last month the windows of the building were completely boarded-up. It came after a fire broke out at the site back in March, which police said was "believed to have been started deliberately".

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