The Licensing Committee of Croydon Council met on Monday, 29 April 2024. The committee's agenda included the approval of minutes from previous meetings and consideration of an application for a street trading designation order.

London Local Authorities Act 1990 - Application for Street Designation Order

The committee considered an application for a street trading designation order at 780 London Road, Thornton Heath. The application sought to designate an area for the display of fruit and vegetables.

Discussion: The application was for a display measuring 3 meters in length, 90 cm in width, and 1.1 meters in height. The available pedestrian passage would be 2.5 meters, exceeding the minimum requirement of 2 meters. Council officers had visited the premises and consulted with Highways, Police, and Planning colleagues, receiving no objections. However, it was noted that the application was within a saturation zone, meaning there were already four other street trading designations in the immediate area. Officers explained that saturation zones were primarily introduced for safety considerations, where an increase in designated sites could impact pedestrian passage.

Concerns were raised about potential hazards to school children, but officers confirmed that measurements were taken during the day and the minimum clearance requirement was sufficient for pedestrians, wheelchairs, and buggies. The applicant, Mr. Ahmad, confirmed there was adequate space for people to pass and that the display would support their business. He agreed to display food on a table rather than directly on the ground. The committee also discussed the presence of rubbish bags in photographs, with officers stating that enforcement could address this if it became a problem.