New Pizza Hut to open in Leyland after councillors approve conversion of betting shop to a takeaway

The unit, on Towngate, has been vacant since Ladbrokes moved out in December 2020, but South Ribble Borough Council’s planning committee has now given the go-ahead for its conversion.

At a meeting where the matter was decided, councillors heard that the proposed outlet could support up to seven full-time and 14 part-time jobs. The eatery - to be located on the edge of the town centre, opposite the Tesco superstore - will be permitted to open between 11am and 11pm seven days a week.

There was unanimous support for the plans amongst committee members - and there were no objections to the proposal from members of the public.

Cllr John Hesketh welcomed the move to fill an empty retail property in the town, the presence of which, he said, “doesn’t give a good image”.

Meanwhile, committee chair Cllr Caleb Tomlinson jokingly declared that Pizza Hut’s forthcoming opening meant “Leyland has arrived”.

Lancashire County Council highways officers noted that although there are no parking spaces available immediately outside of the premises, there is “ample public car parking available in the immediate vicinity”.

The conversion will see a new shop frontage put in place on the unit, which is part of a longer terrace block.

A condenser device will be installed at the rear of the building in a private service yard and additional extraction fans will be added to those that already exist on the property. Environmental health officers raised no objections to the plans.

A report by planning officers concluded that the new use for the shop was “unlikely to impact negatively on the character and appearance of the area” and would be preferable to “a gap in the retail frontage”.

In a statement issued after the meeting, a spokesperson for Pizza Hut Delivery said, “We’re delighted to confirm that planning permission has been granted for Pizza Hut Delivery’s expansion into Leyland town centre. The new store will create a number of both full and part time jobs for the community. We're looking forward to working with new team members to deliver our local fans their favourite pizzas."

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