Enfield Council has approved plans submitted by Palace Amusements to open a new AGC in Palmers Green, after holding company East Kent Leasing Ltd appealed a previous refusal.

The plans for the vacant Lloyds Bank were put before planning inspectors in February, after concerns were expressed that local opposition had prompted a rejection of the proposal on purely moral grounds.

“The evidence before me does not demonstrate to me a causal link between the addition of this AGC at the site and a likelihood for any problematic gambling habits to grow,” said the inspector’s report. “Nor, ultimately, that the community’s cohesion and overall wellbeing would be undermined.”

“I can envisage that there would come a point at which a cluster of gambling uses would undermine, and be detrimental to, the diversity of the district centre. However, I do not find that the cluster of four which would result in this case to be unacceptably high. That there would be an even split of betting shops and AGCs, and thereby some diversity of the type of gambling uses, would aid in this.”

The AGC had met resistance from the Palmers Green Action Team, local MPs, and more than 1,000 residents who signed a petition against the plans, however these objections were dismissed by the inspector.

“The proposal would bring the unit back into use so that it would once again make a contribution to the economy of, and activities taking place within, the district centre.”