A PLANNING enforcement inquiry has been started into a new cafe in Wellington after a complaint by town councillor John Thorne.

Taunton Deane Borough Council officers are looking into a recent refurbishment of Greggs bakery, in Fore Street, which saw part of the shop converted into a cafe.

Greggs currently has only an A1 planning category, which allows it to sell food to be consumed off the premises.

Cllr Thorne believed the company should have applied for a change of planning use to also include A3 classification, which covers cafes and restaurants.

He rejected an initial view by the Deane council that the Greggs cafe was an ‘ancillary’ business use which did not require permission. Cllr Thorne said: “I am delighted that a well-regarded national company like Greggs wants to trade in Wellington and provide jobs here.

“However, I do not see why every other cafe and coffee shop in Wellington has to have A3 permission while Greggs does not.

“From Greggs’ perspective, I can understand they may be reluctant to make an appropriate planning application, because they have 1,678 shops across the country and it could be expensive if they had to do this for each of them. I am also disappointed that despite being given the opportunity, Greggs has chosen not to engage with myself or the town council to explain themselves, which I find to be rather disrespectful.”

The issue was formally raised at this week’s meeting of the town council, where Cllr Thorne asked for other councillors to express their concern.

He had earlier written to Wellington’s MP Rebecca Pow suggesting the issue may need to be taken to the Government’s Planning Minister, Brandon Lewis.