Adult Gaming Centres appeals; Macau lose, Star win
This week, a planning inspector dismissed the Macau Casino signage appeal, upholding the council’s refusal to grant retrospective planning permission. The fact that the building’s in a conservation area plays a big part in the decision, though maybe not an essential part. (Highway safety didn’t; there weren’t any public safety objections from the Highways Authority or the Council, and the inspector didn’t find any such issues.) Presumably this frees the way for Brent to issue an enforcement notice re the signage and 24-hour opening.
Last week, another planning inspector allowed the appeal on turning 4-6 Cricklewood Lane into an adult gaming centre (AGC). That decision emphasises that the site’s already used for gambling. It seems the police withdrew their objection once the operators provided more information about crime and security, but the operators will still need to get Barnet’s approval for their security plans. Noise control measures must be implemented, but the inspector threw out Barnet’s proposed restrictions on opening hours; there won’t be any.
So we’ll now have three AGCs around the Cricklewood Lane/Broadway junction, plus a lot of gaming machines nearby in Buzz Bingo – no idea if so many can really be profitable.
