John Noye wants to turn the £18,000 derelict public toilet
outside the Deepdale stadium into a fastfood bar for fans on match days.
The plan would breathe new life into a crumbling building, on the
corner of Sir Tom Finney Way and Hollins Road, which is currently
frequented by drug addicts.
Planners recommended the go-ahead but councillors, led by Coun Terry Cartwright, kicked it out after complaints from residents and the club.
Furious Mr Noye, the boss of John Noye Tarmacadam, said he was disgusted.
He said: "At the moment, prostitutes and drug addicts use it. I went in there the other week and there were about 20 syringes in it and drugs paraphernalia. But if they want it used as a drugs den, then that's all right by me. I'm sure the residents will love that.
"I wanted to make it into a nice kiosk which would be much better for the area. But if people want it to stay as it is, I can't do anything about it. There is no parking allowed outside there on match days. The police won't let people park there anyway, so what's the problem? We were going to put bins in according to what they wanted so it wouldn't be any problem."
But Coun Terry Cartwright is leading the fight against the plans.
He said: "They are only fit for one use and that is to turn them back to toilets."
After the original plans were blocked in 2001, Mr Noye submitted a new
application limiting opening hours for the kiosk to two hours before kick-off until one hour after matches ended.
Customers would almost entirely be match-goers, parking is restricted by
police on match days anyway, and
owners promised to provide bins to deal with litter.
Planners said the proposals for the kiosk should be accepted.
Planning officer Julie Grant said: "The building is now derelict and
dangerous and a use needs to be found for it.
"The difference to this application is that, on match days, there is already an increase of people in that area and customers would likely be those attending matches anyway."
But residents are still unhappy, claiming the outlet would cause smells, litter and noise.
PNE bosses also complained saying the council would have problems limiting the days the takeaway could open.
Ayub Walibhai, 44, from Parkside, said: "I don't think they should get
permission. This is a main road and if kids come to eat here it will be dangerous for them.
"Cars keep coming in and out every few minutes to PNE so it's dangerous anyway. I have signed the petition against the takeaway."
Michael Geldert, 52, also from Parkside, said: "Basically, I just wish they would come to some conclusion.
It's been going on long enough. I don't see any problem with it as long as people are using parking facilities at Deepdale and not on our road. Some of the residents have to pay to park on the road and it is already congested round here."
Dorothy Wilson, 72, from nearby Skeffington Road, said: "There are enough takeaways round here, we don't need another one. It would be a shame because there are trees all around it as well."
Residents submitted a petition opposing the scheme to planners – and councillors agreed with them.
Coun Terry Cartwright said: "I have a list of 20 takeaways within a quarter of a mile of the site.
"The traffic is horrendous now. A petition has gone in and the residents are concerned about the litter that will be left, the smells and the noise.
"And where are the delivery vans going to park? I am sure that Preston North End won't give them a parking space – so they will be on the street.
"The best thing would be to use them for toilets when North End are playing and close them afterwards."
Coun Alan Hackett said: "We talk about match days and we tend to think of the afternoon. But there are evening matches.
"Sometimes matches go on till after 11pm if you get into extra time. I can also see the kiosk being a focus for vandalism and break-ins because it will be unattended a lot of the time."
But Coun John Browne said: "We need to do something with it. North End have objected – but they are going to object to anything in that area that they do not control."
The application was rejected by nine votes to four at yesterday's planning meeting in Preston town hall.
Preston North End spokesman John Booth said today: "Two wrongs don't make a right. If it wasn't going to be used as a toilet, then it didn't really have another use but the council decided to sell it so there was nothing we could do.
"The club are pleased because we thought it would create a lot of environmental and safety issues particularly on match days because it's a very dangerous corner."
e-mail: judith.dornan@lep.co.uk