Wildwood's request to keep kitchen challenged by council leader

Council leader Tony Dignum has red-carded the ‘belated’ application from Wildwood in Southgate, saying the company has ‘resisted enforcement’.

Planning documents from the restuarant state the enforcement notice was withdrawn in November 2016.

But Cllr Dignum has said the kitchen is a ‘David and Goliath’ case between the company and residents in the neighbouring property who ‘had to move out’ after noise from the kitchen made life ‘unbearable’.

A spokesman for Tasty Plc, which owns Wildwood, has previously said the enforcement notice was the result of a misunderstanding over drawings ‘okayed’ by the council.

Cllr Dignum’s red-card notice requests the application be decided by planning committee.

It reads: “In Jan15 Wildwood Restaurant, Tasty plc, installed a kitchen using an area CDC planners had forbidden in 1996.

“It is against the wall of 2 Old Market avenue, through which noise, smells and vibration come, making life there unbearable.

“The residents have had to move out. Tasty have resisted removing it, resisted enforcement, have delayed for months (as has CDC) and made excuses about not knowing noise levels etc.

“This belated application shows no aim to remove, but to provide insulation which may not solve the problem.

“It is really David and Goliath, the resident against a huge company which is not keen to undo its actions.”