Plans to turn snooker hall into flats approved

Plans to demolish a longstanding snooker hall and turn it into flats have been given the greenlight despite more than 100 objections.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, North Northamptonshire Council approved the application to knock down Cuetopia in Kettering and build 24 flats in its place.

A petition to save the facility, which has been praised as an important leisure attraction to the town, collected 1,300 signatures.

Paul Martin, owner of Cuetopia, said that the people of Kettering want his business “to remain”.

Applicants Certain Security Limited said they have found a new premises for Cuetopia in an empty Argos store on Newland Street, but Mr Martin said the building was “not suitable”.

Mr Martin added: "The snooker club is just being made homeless.

“We’ve been offered the other building, but it’s just not suitable for occupation.

“The applicant is trying to protect his business; I’m trying to protect mine.”

An agent for the developer told the council’s planning committee that his clients had offered a “significant rent-free period” at the old Argos property to allow works to be carried out.

But Mr Martin argued the space would need a lot of investment and that rent payments would increase significantly after any rent-free period.

Objecting on behalf of Kettering Town Centre, Councillor Mark Rowley said the main concern was the loss of the important leisure facility, used by residents for almost 40 years.

But Councillor David Sims concluded there was “no alternative” but to support the plans and said: “We can only make decisions on policy and what’s been put in front of us, not what we think morally”.

The controversial plans were approved with six committee members voting in favour of the application and five against.

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