Frustration at ‘metal eyesore’ attached to new Swaffham restaurant

A town’s new pizza restaurant has already stirred up bother before it even opens.

Plans for a Valentino’s pizzeria and coffee lounge in Swaffham have attracted objections from neighbours over an “eyesore” flue that has been constructed without permission.

Breckland Council is due to consider an application to revamp the building, formerly home to a barbers, with new kitchen and bar areas, customer seating and redesigned shopfront.

However, locals are upset over the large new extract flue – which has been erected prior to a decision being issued.

The building has been empty for more than a year and the new owner hopes to bring the town centre site back into use with a new independent business.

The pizza restaurant would be open from 7am until 11.30pm from Monday to Saturday and 9am until 10pm on Sundays.

While some residents have expressed concern about an over-saturation of cafes and restaurants in the town, and the late opening hours, the most contentious point seems to be the flue that has been erected on the side of the property.

On the council’s planning portal, John Russell, who lives nearby, said: “Not only has the original flint exterior been rendered over, now I see the industrial extraction and flue unit visible from the street creating an eyesore.

“When the town is making so much effort to restore and preserve the area, it seems inappropriate for such planning permission to be sought.”

Joshua Dawkins, who also lives in the area, has objected too.

He said: “The extraction has been fitted with no regard to the aesthetic of the local area. It is a massive metal eyesore and is totally unsightly.

“This is a massive step back from the direction that the town council is taking to improve the town centre and improve the lives of those who live in Swaffham.”

The changes made to the building will be considered by Breckland Council’s planning committee later this month.