Café in Mill Road, Cambridge, to get rooftop terrace

A new rooftop terrace for customers will be created at a café in Cambridge’s Mill Road.

Run by organic food store Green Nest - formerly known as Harvest - the cafe will get retractable louvre pergolas with glass screening, plus acoustic fencing.

Previous plans for the terrace were refused over concerns they would create an “unacceptable level of harm to the amenity and living conditions” of neighbours.

However, planning officers at Cambridge City Council said extra screening measures have been proposed that addressed the earlier concerns.

A representative of the business told councillors at a planning meeting last Wednesday (5 March) that the terrace will “enhance” the café and “represents a healthy investment in the business for the future”.

Describing it as “an integral part of Mill Road”, the representative added: “Beyond its function as a supplier of organic goods and café, it serves as a vital community hub.

“The proposed rooftop terrace and café extension will enable the business to expand, providing an enhanced amenity for both residents and visitors, whilst preserving its established organic ethos.

“This application directly addresses the previous refusal reason through the submission of a detailed noise assessment, odour mitigation plans and revised screening measures.”

But concerns were still raised about the potential impact on neighbours.

In particular, moving the ventilation system closer to Mill Road Baptist Church could lead to smells and noise affecting meetings and services, it was suggested.

Officers said the new system would be an improvement on what is used now and amendments to address concerns over noise and odour had been made..

Cllr Mike Todd-Jones (Lab, Arbury) still had “significant concerns” while Cllr Katie Porrer (Lib Dem, Market) said she would support there being a noise management plan with reference to the potential noise created by the opening and closing of the retractable roof.

Cllr Robert Dryden supported the plans and said with the “terrible decision to close Mill Road bridge” that the businesses on the road “need all the help they can get”.

The application was approved.