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'Fortress-like' shopfront approved in Fen town despite officer recommending refusal
['Sarah Cliss']
Wisbech Standard | News
Fenland's planning committee granted permission for the replacement of the shopfront at 63A–65 Wisbech Road, including new cladding, external security shutters and a retractable canopy, after the works were carried out without prior consent.
The commercial unit sits on a highly visible corner plot at the Wisbech Road / Norwood Road roundabout, in an area otherwise dominated by housing.
In a detailed report to July's planning committee, the case officer recommended refusal.
The report highlighted:A “large uninterrupted expanse” of dark cladding across the principal elevation, producing a “visually dominant” and utilitarian look “alien to the largely residential character of the area”.
A prominent canopy on the main elevation that, taken together with the cladding and shutters, was said to “further erode the limited architectural merit of the development”, harming the streetscene.