THE RED frontage of a restaurant in Leamington has been given the green light retrospectively, despite leaving some seeing red.
Members of Warwick District Council’s planning committee granted retrospective planning permission to Rosa’s Thai on Parade for painting its frontage a deep shade of red.
Both the conservation officer at Warwick District Council and Leamington Town Council had objected to the bold choice of paint colour due to conservation concerns.
But members of WDC’s planning committee followed the planning officer’s recommendation to grant the retrospective planning permission for the red frontage despite the objections.
Leamington Town Council objected on the grounds “the proposed colour scheme is felt to be inappropriate and contrary to the direction controlling the decoration of shops on the Parade”.
WDC’s conservation officer said in a report presented to the planning committee that while a similar colour was used at another Parade address, the Rosa’s Thai building was far more prominent.
But WDC planning officers disagreed.
In their official documents which went before the committee, planning officers stated they did not believe the deeper shade of red was harmful to the conservation area and that no concerns were raised by the conservation officer at the time it was painted.
Speaking at the meeting, Coun Bill Gifford said he was reluctant to go against the town council but following a site visit he couldn’t really object to it.
He added it was a perfectly acceptable colour scheme.
Coun Katya Dray agreed.
She said: “It’s a lovely colour and brightens everything up during this dismal time we’re having with the rain.”
Coun Pam Redford added that there was a bright blue frontage a few doors down so she didn’t think the committee could object to a red one.
Planning committee members voted unanimously in favour of the red frontage.
Rosa’s Thai has been approached for comment.
