THE CO-OWNER of a popular Italian restaurant in Bracknell Forest has told of the troubles her family has faced as part of a four-year-long planning battle.
Sarah Beni, who runs the Don Beni restaurant in Winkfield Row with her family, told the News about the difficulties they have faced in trying to secure permission for a new home at the back of their restaurant.
The family has seen two planning applications refused since 2018, but conversations with the council started two years prior to this.
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Despite the prolonged process, original proposals for two new homes at the back of Don Beni were thrown out by Bracknell Forest Council and dismissed at appeal in January of this year.
Fast forward to July 2020, and the Benis saw another plan for a single home at the rear of their restaurant refused following a councillor revolt at a planning meeting.
Thirteen residents and Winkfield Parish Council had objected to these plans prior to the decision.
And this rejection came despite BFC’s planning officers recommending the plans be approved.
Councillors voted against the designs because they were worried adding the home would reduce the number of parking spaces at the restaurant.
Following the refusal, the Benis are again asking the Planning Inspectorate to consider the proposals in the hope the body overturns the council’s verdict.
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Speaking to the News, Sarah Beni said the family’s plans had fallen victim to “pettiness” from neighbours who were “obsessed” with opposing the plans.
She said: “The house itself is for us. It’s not to be sold for development. We have every right to do it, it’s not out of character what we are trying to put in there.
“The issue is with the parking for the restaurant. They’re saying it’s going to cause more cars on the road because the restaurant needs more parking.
“We’ve had every survey done and we’ve got the right amount of parking.
“We’ve never been funny about our car park, we allow everybody to use it.
“We allow parents from the school to use our car park when dropping off and picking up their children.
“We’ve never stopped it, and we’ve been there for 25 years.
“We do everything in the area, we sponsor a football team.
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“But certain people are ‘gunning for us’ on social media.
“It’s getting tiring now. We’ve spent so much money.
“We’re appealing it because the council itself put it up for approval.
“We’re not selling it for development but if it gets to that, we have options for the whole site.”
The Benis launched an appeal back in November, with representations from interested parties due by Christmas Eve and final comments from the applicants and the council due in January.
Asked whether she is confident the decision will be overturned by the appeal, Ms Beni added: “I’m not confident. Even though we’ve done everything possible and we’ve done everything they’ve asked of us and more.
“Last time, I was quite confident as the council signed it off for approval. But they looked at it and went ‘no’ because 13 people objected and the parish council said no.
“We wanted to move into that house. We could be with the business and doing everything from there.”
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