PLANS for a new Pizza Hut in Broadstone have been refused as councillors believe the takeaway offering would not add to the diversity or vitality of the area.

The proposal for the change of use of the Lower Blandford Road high street premises faced dozens of objections.

Ward councillor Vikki Slade said the loss of the gift shop which had been in the unit until March this year was already having an impact on the community.

She told BCP Council’s planning committee the threat of “saturation” from another takeaway led to concerns over “the knock on affects to other retailers, traffic, pollution, litter, noise and the direct impact on other hot food outlets”.

Councillor Slade said there were already three pizza takeaways, two further pizza restaurants offering takeaways and four other hot food takeaways within 100 metres of the site.

The Liberal Democrat said the view that “something must be better than nothing” over an empty unit “could not be further from the truth”.

Agent for the applicant Giles Moir, of Chapman Lily, said there was no objection from the council’s highways and environmental health teams.

“It is important to realise that the proposal would create a range of job opportunities,” said Mr Moir.

“This includes in the region of 10 full-time jobs and 10 part-time jobs, so the proposal offers a variety in terms of hours of work.

“Given the positive attributes and no negative material planning considerations, I would hope you can support the proposal recommended for you by your officers.”

Broadstone councillor Mike Brooke also spoke in objection to the proposal.

He said: “From being told there are no detrimental impacts in this planning application, it is very clear that there are highly significant detrimental impacts which far outweigh any benefit that this application might bring.”

Planning committee member and Alderney and Bourne Valley ward councillor Tony Trent said: “It is quite an attractive and varied shopping area and needs to be protected.”

Councillor Steve Baron, Conservative member for Parkstone, added: “It really is a vibrant place with a really nice atmosphere and feel to it.”

Labour Boscombe councillor George Farquhar tabled the move to refuse the application, despite officers recommending approval, because he said it did not add vitality of the Broadstone street scene.

“To me Broadstone is a destination,” Cllr Farquhar said. “A pizza chain from a national brand is not a destination for me but the vitality of that shopping precinct is a destination.

“I would travel there and I would park up legally and I would visit a multitude of stores there. I would not visit for this addition of a pizza chain.”

Councillor Tony O’Neill, Penn Hill Conservative, said the market would decide the acceptability of the business whether that is national or independent Planning committee vice chair Cllr Toby Johnson, who is a Conservative member for Alderney and Bourne Valley, said: “Whilst nobody here wants Broadstone to turn into just a row of pizza joints, takeaways or whatever, this application we have to decide on its planning policy merits and as far as I can see it does, it meets the planning policies.”

Councillor Bob Lawton said he could not see a planning reason to refuse the change of use.

The Southbourne Conservative councillor said: “We may dislike what is going in there, we may say it is another food proprietor, I don’t see that being a planning objection. I am all in favour of empty units being reused.

“We are all seeing across BCP and the rest of the country, city centres are dying on their feet as units become empty and they are not being filled.

“This is an opportunity to fill a unit and bring some vibrancy to the area. I don’t know the area greatly well but at the same time to see an empty unit does not reflect well on any area.”

The move to refuse was carried with eight votes in favour and six against.