Pizza man MacColl will fight on after SIC turns down his plan
Rosalind GriffithsA plan for a pizzeria between Brae and Voe was officially refused by the council’s planning department yesterday, but businessman Henry MacColl, whose dream it was, has vowed to fight on.
Mr MacColl, who is half Italian, wanted to build a single-storey detached restaurant, seating 24, beside his home at Parkgate, one and a half miles from Voe.
The application also included ancillary supporting accommodation and customer car parking.
But the planning department refused the application because the pizzeria was not located within or adjacent to an “existing settlement”.
Also, “no justification had been put forward by the application in terms of the locational requirement for the proposed site”, the department believed. It therefore contravened the local development plan.
Planners also objected to the fact that the restaurant would have to be accessed by vehicle, contributing to climate change.
Mr MacColl, 51, will now have to wait until the New Year to appeal. He has had overwhelming support on Facebook and has now started a petition to get his restaurant up and running.
Allen Fraser
Surely a better way of cutting car journeys and carbon emissions (AND saving the SIC money) would be to stop paying mileage allowance to all council officials and councillors.
Given the fact that fuel prices have dropped dramatically over the last couple of years (and continue to fall), surely travel allowances to SIC officers and councillors should be cut accordingly.
However, a more likely scenario is that a whole squadron of flying pigs will perform an aerobatic display above the Town Hall beneath a blue moon.
Jane Booth
Please explain why you think that if council officials are using their cars and fuel to make journeys for council business they should pay for that out of their own money? You do understand don’t you that part of the travel allowance is for wear and tear to the vehicle and not just to cover fuel costs? I have worked for the council housing department in the past and there is no way that I would expect to pay my own travel costs when making home visits, for example.
Allen Fraser
Since the planning department consider the establishment of the pizzeria by Olna Firth such a dire threat to the planet from motor carbon emissions the SIC as a whole now must take a lead.
I take your point on wear and tear especially from the proposed speed bumps on the Esplanade. However, there is no need for ‘essential car use’ in Lerwick where everywhere is within walking or cycling distance.
The SIC could replace mileage allowance with a pedal-cycle allowance.
With a little bit of planning, all journeys to and from destinations outside Lerwick can be made by already heavily subsidised public transport and the SIC could issue vouchers for ‘essential travel’. SIC officials and councillors using public transport in this way could also act as the proposed ticket inspectors thus making another saving.
June Burns
A friend of mine in Perthshire – her grandchildren go to Pizza parties – they are taught to make Pizzas from the base to the toppings and learn how to cook them from scratch. Come on SIC – move on with the times – what a brilliant idea this guy has – let’s all encourage him!
iantinkler
I visit my patients at home, no one pays for my fuel!!!But then I do not have sick pay or holiday pay. Self employed and loving it. It is good to stand on your own feet.