Star Commercial Property Ltd has received approval from Brent Council to convert its Willesden bingo venue into an AGC, despite the local authority recently spearheading a national campaign for tighter gambling restrictions on the high street.

Plans to open a bingo club in the former bank premises on the junction of Walm Lane and High Road were given the green light in February, two months before Star submitted the expansion plans which were approved on 10 September.

“Brent Council’s Local Plan imposes a cap on the proliferation of adult gaming centres, pawn brokers and pay-day loan shops on high streets, meaning they can’t exceed three per cent of town centre shop frontages,” reported MyLondon.

“The latest approval, alongside two existing adult gaming centres and two pawn shops, brings the concentration to 2.54 per cent of frontages – falling just short of the threshold therefore the committee felt there was no basis for refusal.”

The application had received more than 60 objections, however only one councillor voted against approving the AGC plans, with the rest acknowledging the value of revitalising the vacant high street unit.

“Council officers explained that the number of objections received ‘wouldn’t influence decisions’ as they have to consider applications ‘in line with planning policies.’”