RENEWED plans for a private hire taxi office to be set up in Chester city centre have been submitted to Cheshire West and Chester Council.

Smart Cars Ltd is behind the revised proposals to set up the office in Delamere Street, at the site of the former City Sandwiches shop.

Previously, the application had been refused on the basis that, under the old plans, there were concerns members of the public would visit the office and a number of private hire taxis would end up parking on Delamere Street, where there was insufficient parking provision and a bus stop along the street.

However, under the revised scheme, the applicants say the private hire service would have no provision for members of the public waiting at the proposed premises, so taxis would not need to stop outside the office to collect paying customers.

Planners also note the applicant would be happy to install a sign at the front of the office to indicate the premises is a call centre and administrative centre, and there would be no public waiting facilities in the premises, nor would taxis be stopping outside the office on Delamere Street.

It is proposed the new taxi service would be 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The change of use of the building would involve no external alterations, and the taxi fleet would have between 20 and 30 vehicles, with about five to 10 expected to be on the road at any given time.

Comments on the application, reference number 21/02600/FUL, can be made until August 10 on Cheshire West and Chester Council's website.

  • Applications such as this can be viewed at The Standard's online Public Notices portal and in the Public Notices section of the newspaper each Thursday.