Dunkin Donuts, Queens Road, River Sheaf Walk

Dunkin Donuts @ KFC Car Park, Queens Road

Dear Members and Supporters,

First, let us say thank you for all your help with our recent campaigns at Castlegate & the Lidl development. Without your voices, we would not have been able to achieve all that we have done in the last few years.

We once again ask, will you help us shape a better future for our Rivers?

On Queens road, we have lodged an Objection to a proposed diddy, Dunkin Donuts. This would be built on the KFC car park. On the positive side, they are offering to link the dead end River Sheaf Walk behind KFC, back on to Queens Road. Currently, if you are able to, you have to clamber over a knee height railing. The new connection would be fully accessible.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/H6vsWT4SxUTQJmXC7 Full application:

https://planningapps.sheffield.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=neighbourComments&keyVal=RR5R7ONYIRK00 Read our objection below and feel free to add your voice too. We are asking for minor design changes to the proposed development

Objection from Sheaf & Porter Rivers Trust

"Application 23/00777/FUL Drive-though Dunkin Donuts Charlotte R/Queens Rd

On behalf of the Sheaf and Porter Rivers Trust, a registered charity with 400 members and 2,000 supporters we object to the application.

The proposed development occupies part of a site already occupied by a drive-in KFC and with an established and well-maintained riverside path, designed so that at a future point it can form part of a continuous riverside trail as adjoining sites are redeveloped, which regularly continues to happen in this changing post-industrial neighbourhood.

Squeezing a second food takeway onto this site probably represents an over development of the space which could create congestion and conflict but of most concern to the Sheaf and Porter Rivers Trust it will in its current layout degrade and obscure the visibility and accessibility of the river for current and future amenity and management.

The proposed building layout places a permanent fenced bin store and other unsightly rear servicing activities between the building and the riverside trail, effectively turning its back on the site's most attractive feature. The various leader and menu boards and ordering speaking point are also placed quite insensitively next to the riverside walk, further obstructing access and visibility. Meanwhile customer seating is placed on the least pleasant and heavily trafficked frontage of the site, discouraging walk-in custom. This is unnecessary and unacceptable.

If the development is considered acceptable in other respects which we question, we strongly urge that the layout is revisited and the building handed to place the public facing area closest to the river and the bin store and back of house away from it. The various signs other than the speaking point should also be relocated away from the river bank to the off-side of the drive in route where they will be just as legible to customers. The proposed public seating area should be located next to the river - a more attractive location for customers - with future public access along the river bank as far as the southern site boundary identified and protected by condition. The bins store and back of house, suitably screened, should also be placed away from the river between the building and Queens Road where seating is currently shown.

A similar precedent for some of this re-arrangement has been established in the permission for public access to the Sheaf at the nearby proposed Costa Coffee drive-through on the opposite side of Queens Road.

The river retaining wall should also be checked and buddleia and other invasives fully removed to avoid structural damage as is occurring in many similar locations. Some channel clearance and channel naturalisation should be investigated and may be required as a result of the flood risk assessment requested by the EA.

An additional River Sheaf Walk wayfinding marker should be added at the site entrance from Queens Road."

To Summarise, we ask the applicant to:

- revise the layout to face the riverside, not hide it away. The public seating area would be best placed along the riverside, not Queens Road.

- for the retaining wall to be repaired and cleared of invasive species which pose a flood risk

- a new River Sheaf Walk sign for wayfinding

- Any environmental improvements to the river within their ownership to demonstrate Biodiversity net gain Comments can be submitted on the online planning system: https://planningapps.sheffield.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=makeComment&keyVal=RR5R7ONYIRK00

If you are struggling to use the Online Planning system,

you can email case officer Elizabeth.Arblaster@sheffield.gov.uk quoting 23/00777/FUL

Or send a letter to

FAO Liz Arblaster

Assistant Planning Officer,

Development Management,

Howden House,

1 Union Street,

SHEFFIELD

S1 2SH.

And then quoting reference number 23/00777/FUL