Even more reasons...

Further to my last post - Morrison's are applying for extended licenses for all their non-24 hr stores across the country, as a step towards getting 24 hour 7-day a week oening.
So, although NCC report that:
"Morrison’s have now re-submitted the application and the formal 28 day consultation period will commence form today and finish on the 9th December 2010" - the parallel applications elsewhere in the county have not been delayed, and the NCC Licensing Committee will be hard pushed to come up with reasons why Morpeth Morrison's should be treated differently.
The only grounds for objecting to licensing applications are:

prevention of crime and disorder

public safety

prevention of public nuisance

protection of children from harm

I think that my argument that this subverts the PubWatch network and that supermarket cashiers are not trained to deal with 'people under the influence' in the way that bar staff are - should hold up, but concerns about light pollution and boy racers in well-lit carparks would be stronger if it were a variation on a planning permission rather than a license.

And that is where Morrison's are manipulating the system - as well as the sheer weight of a national move, they are using the narrower licensing regulations to pre-empt a variation in planning permission, to move towards 24-hour opening.

And they are not the only ones: word has reached me that M&S in Sandersons Arcade have applied for a 24-hour alcohol sales license, and an acohol license for their restaurant - also a move towards 24-hour opening.

More reasons to drink?

I gather that Morrisons have (rather quietly) applied to be able to sell alcohol 6am-11pm seven days a week from their Morpeth store...

This seems a bit excessive to me on a number of fronts:
i) buying cut price alcohol and drinking at home is already damaging the pub trade in Morpeth and elsewhere, the habit of 'preloading' or drinking before you go out is particularly pernicious
ii) who wants to buy alcohol at six in the morning? Or from a supermarket at 10 or 11pm at night? Are we going to have people popping in to Morrisons for a carry-out on their way home from the pub? Pub staff are used to managing customers who have had too much, and will refuse to serve them. Can we expect supermarket checkout staff to do the same?
iii) And why seven days a week? That's longer than the current opening hours? Ah! Is this part of a cunning plan to extend the opening hours of the supermarket? Are we going to have a 17-hour supermarket in Morpeth?

Anyway - they applied (to NCC) so quietly, that no one has objected so far - and the objection period runs out on Friday (12th). So the Town Council will be discussing it at their meeting tomorrow (Weds 10th) and will probably ask NCC to extend the consultation period.

Why can't the petrol station look like this?

Deadline for comments on the amended retrospective planning application for signage & lighting at Morrison's filling station on Dark Lane (Ref CM/20080188) is Monday (28th) - and it is expected to come to the Development Services (Planning) Committee on Tues May 13th.

Morrisons have less 'in-your-face' signage on other filling stations - as these photos taken in Fort William by Town Councillor Graeme Trotter show...



- so why can't the Morpeth filling station signage look like this?


I'll also be arguing for all lighting (incl the price sign) to be turned off when the station is closed, and latest closing should be 10pm in the evening.

Morrison's Filling Station

Update 19th April: The amended retrospective planning application is available on the CMBC website - and the deadline for comments is 28th April. It is likely the application will be considered at the Development Services Committee on 13th May.

Update: 1st April - word from CMBC Planners:

We are in discussions with the architects with regard to amendments to the current design.
The MORRISONS sign on the gable of the kiosk has been removed and the illuminated signs around the car wash have been permanently switched off.
We have asked for a less garish colour to the yellow around the canopy and have also asked that the brightness of the illuminated signs is reduced.
We have advised that the petrol pumps can be used between 7am to 11pm, outside of these hours the signs will not be illuminated.

Original Post:

I've now submitted the following comments on the retrospective application for signage & lighting at the new Morrison's Filling Station on Dark Lane - Applicn CM/20080188 (deadline for comments - 3rd April)

As ward councillor for Morpeth North Central, I would like to raise the following objections reflecting comments raised with me by constituents to granting retrospective permission on the above application:

the level of lighting is excessive and poorly directed. It creates as serious light pollution problem when viewed from Dacre Street or Fenwick Grove. In contrast, street lighting and the lighting in the new Dark Lane car park has been designed to be at an appropriate level and to illuminate only those areas which need lighting. I understand that recent Government guidance makes light pollution a statutory nuisance.

the colour and size of the signage is too vivid for a gateway to the town which has until now reflected the natural character of the river valley. This is not an urban setting. The signage and colour of the nearest Morrison’s filling station at Cowgate in Newcastle is in an urban setting, but seems much less virulent

the maximum opening hours of the filling station should be 7am-10pm to avoid light pollution becoming a problem, and to retain the character of this part of Morpeth. Opening any later may result in the late evening activity in the town centre sprawling outwards and becoming more difficult to manage.

Signs & Lights

Looks as though Morrison’s have overstepped the mark with their new filling station. They needed separate planning permission to put up those gaudy yellow signs, and the pricing sign – and they didn’t get it before they erected them. So there’s a retrospective planning application (CM/20080188) seeking permission. If refused they’d have to take the signs down.

Now – I’ve had a number of complaints, mainly from Dacre Street and River View, about the excessive lighting at the filling station – and I would see this as an opportunity to get this looked at too.

I’d also hope that another couple of issues could be addressed at the same time:
i) whether the LPG tanks create a safety hazard in their current location (or at all)
ii) whether rumours that the station is going to operate on a 24-hour basis, and whether planning permission is needed for this

Comments? There’s about three weeks to get objections in.