Villagers take the fight to planning officials over fruit stall (From Bucks Free Press)

Villagers take the fight to planning officials over fruit stall

11:09pm Tuesday 10th March 2009 in Search By Simon Farr

ANGRY villagers and parish councillors will march to Wycombe District Council offices to protest against a ruling which may force the closure of a fruit and veg store.

Downley’s Starlight Stalls has a permanent stand set up outside the shop, displaying a variety of fresh food, which is protected at night by steel shutters.

However, Wycombe District Council officers have said the shutter contravenes planning regulations and will have to go by Saturday, May 30 or the store may be forced to close, causing wide-spread protest from villagers.

At tonight’s Downley Parish Council meeting, council members and residents spoke up in support of the shop and called for a meeting with district council planning chiefs to resolve the matter.

Councillor John Willson said: “I am wholly in support of the shop. It has given momentum to the village and brought colour and life to the High Street.

“It has the support from almost everyone in the village because it would be a huge loss if it were to shut down and it would probably kill off the High Street.

“It is vital we keep Starlight Stalls open and I think it’s time we took our collective voice to Wycombe District Council and took our concerns to the next level.

“It would be nonsense for a cornerstone of our community to close over some shutters put up to protect the shop from intruders – especially as they don’t extend past the building boundaries and Thames Valley Police suggested the idea.”

Villager Martin Crotty has been speaking to district council planning officials on behalf of shop owner, Emrullah Kaya.

At the meeting, held in the War Memorial Hall, Mr Crotty said: “Mr Kaya is a little naïve when it comes to local government and planning procedures.

“And this has not been helped by the language barrier when he has been trying to complete complicated forms or discuss the matter with the council.”

Mr Crotty added that Mr Kaya has called in an architect to price up how much it would cost to extend the shop front and is planning to change the shop sign.

He also revealed he was meeting planning bosses next week on behalf of Mr Kaya, where he will be joined by parish council chairman Barry Gay and parish clerk Chris Hamilton, following an agreement made at the meeting.

In a statement, Wycombe District Council spokesman Catherine Spalton said: “Following a visit from a planning enforcement officer, the owner of Starlight Stores was notified in July 2008 that a number of alterations that he had made to his store were in breach of planning regulations and were not appropriate for a conservation area.

“The enforcement officer requested that the owner take immediate action to resolve these breaches.

“A site visit in December 2008 revealed that the owner had not taken any action and there were still a number of planning breaches.

“The owner was reminded that if he did not resolve the situation, enforcement action would be taken.

“In January 2009, a further site visit revealed that action had still not been taken to remedy the planning breaches and as such, an enforcement notice has now been served.”

"We don't want the store to close, neither do we have the power to shut it down, but we will be forced to proceed with legal action if the planning orders are not met."