Brighouse adult gaming centre can expand next door, despite objections
Calderdale Council planning officers agreed the Admiral adult gaming centre can take over the tanning salon next door
An adult gaming company got planners’ permission to knock-through to the shop next door – and now it can expand into it.
Calderdale Council planning officers agreed the Admiral adult gaming centre can have change of use permission to can expand into the former Kwik Tan tanning salon next door at Commercial Street, Brighouse.
The company argued that expanding will not just benefit the company and people playing the games, but be beneficial for Brighouse business.
“The proposed extension will provide additional internal floorspace to the adult gaming centre (AGC), facilitating a more diverse range of slot and gaming machines which will attract additional customers,” they said.
Brighouse more widely will benefit, they argued: “Survey evidence from other Admiral AGCs demonstrate that AGC uses not only attract visitors to the town centre in their own right, but that visitors will make use of other town centre services and facilities through linked trips.
“The resulting increase in customer numbers will, in turn, support and contribute positively to wider town centre vitality and viability by enhancing footfall and activity.”
An objector to the application did not agree, claiming allowing the development will increase Brighouse high street decline by reducing the variety of retail outlets in the town.
“There is already sufficient gaming and gambling facilities in Brighouse and increasing their availability will diminish the current investment programme to improve the town centre,” they said.
The objector also raised issues around gambling and gaming, arguing machines encourage impulse play that can lead to high losses and debt.
“Gaming centres disadvantage the vulnerable, extracting money from those who can least afford, and can lead to addiction and debt,” they said.
Considering planning matters, council officers said the proposal would retain an active commercial use at ground floor level and would not result in a vacant frontage or the loss of a key town centre facility.
“Given the limited scale of the extension and the continued occupation of both units by commercial businesses, it is not considered that the proposal would harm the vitality or viability of Brighouse Town Centre, nor would it undermine its role within the retail hierarchy,” they concluded.