Restaurant signs remain in spite of planners' objections

BRIGHT green signs outside a Sheffield restaurant will be staying put, despite city planners saying they had a "detrimental impact" on nearby listed buildings.

Councillors unanimously agreed that Platillos, in Leopold Square, should be allowed to keep the signs, which would cost 10,000 to replace.

The restaurant had applied to Sheffield Council for retrospective advertising consent and listed building consent for its signage, which included two large green illuminated signs as well as a menu box and plaque.

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Malcolm Schooling, managing director of Platillos, told the planning board that when his restaurant first opened at Leopold Square no policy on signs had yet been agreed.

He had sent his suggested designs to city planners and was told they were "in keeping" with what they wanted to see.

However, eight months later, he was then told a new policy had been drawn up and the signs, which did not fit with that policy, should be altered.

Welcoming the unanimous decision of the planning committee, Mr Schooling said: "I'm delighted, this has dragged on for a long time. For the last two years we've been negotiating with the planners.

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"It's a total relief that the committee took a more rounded view. Protecting these listed buildings is important – that's why we're in the square, and it's part of what makes Platillos – but we do need to allow businesses to be used commercially for their purpose.

"We're the only Sheffield-based independent business in Leopold Square, all of the others are chains.

"There were never any objections to our signs – the only objection came from the planners."

before the committee meeting on Monday this week planning officers had advised city councillors that the green signs should be removed as they had an "unacceptably detrimental impact on the Grade Two listed buildings and this part of the city centre conservation area."

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At the same planning committee meeting, the board said it would be taking enforcement action against the Manu Salwa restaurant and takeaway on The Wicker.

Councillors voted to force the restaurant to remove "very poor quality and completely unacceptable" tile cladding which had been put up on the front of the premises.