CRUNCH time is approaching for two cafes who opened yards apart without planning permission.

Cakes and Shakes, and the Candy Cafe, in Loughton High Road, both opened within weeks of each other on the sites of former retail shops.

With Loughton already comfortably over the district council's limits for non-retail units in the town centre, officers are recommending both shops be refused retrospective planning permission.

Owner of fellow High Road cafe Gladleys Richard Evans has objected to both proposals.

He said: “There's nearly 40 outlets in Loughton, do we really need any more? There will be closures on Loughton High Road. Starbucks has gone because they couldn't afford the rent, who will be next?

“The planning officer has recommended refusal but if they don't get it they can appeal and that can take three years. It's nuts. The situation is totally out of control.”

Both applications have also been objected to by Loughton's Town Council and Residents Association over concerns about the vitality of the High Road.

Peter Sheen, the chairman of Loughton High Road Town Centre Partnership, said: “There's two sides to this. There's no doubt people use them, but it does get a bit ridiculous sometimes when you get to a shopping centre and it's all catering or cafes. You can't blame the people trying to do it, but I don't want to see the High Road bereft of shops that sell stuff.”

Cakes and Shakes solicitor Ghulam Alahi said: “There's been no problems at all on this site for the six or seven months its been open. All our sites have been well received and the demand here was as expected. I think the people who use the site are local people in the area so we are fairly confident of success.”

No-one from Candy Cafe has yet commented.

A decision on both cafes will be made at the district council's planning meeting on Wednesday, February 3, at Roding Valley High School, in Alderton Hill. Loughton, at 7.30pm.