PLANNING chiefs have rejected proposals for a new takeaway in Romsey, claiming the business would have a "detrimental impact" on nearby residents.

An application was submitted to Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC) to transform the closed Co-operative Funeralcare shop, Winchester Road, into an Indian takeaway.

In a document, TVBC said the plans, submitted by Balaka Restaurant, would have a "detrimental impact" on residents with cooking smells blowing around the neighbourhood and noise coming from the business.

The local authority stressed that, although there are already two other takeaways in the area, no details outlining the "proposed extraction system" to tackle food smells were submitted to TVBC.

TVBC was concerned the business would increase pressure on existing off-street parking spaces, due to the applicant not demonstrating enough parking would be provided for the new takeaway.

The plans were thrown out on January 18.

This comes after 19 angry residents signed a petition objecting to the plans, worrying they would have to endure the smell of food in the area.

However, owner of Balaka Restaurant, Shafi Hussain, previously told the Advertiser the new takeaway could generate up to ten jobs.

He said residents should not be concerned about any smells coming from the unit, claiming commercial extractor fans would be installed in the business.

As reported, petition organiser and owner of Chef Peking in Plaza Parade, Xiu Huan Man, slammed the plans for not providing enough information explaining how cooking smells would be eliminated using a ventilation system.

She believed because the takeaway would be in a mid-terraced building it could "require a flue, which would not be possible with the residential units above".

"A flue could also have an impact on the character of the area, since it would need to be a certain height to ensure cooking fumes are dispersed.

"There is no detail provided of the extractor outlet and therefore in its absence the proposal will adversely impact [people's] health and quality of life," she said.

The business owner added the plans could mean neighbours have to put up with more noise coming from delivery drivers' vehicles waiting outside the takeaway.

She claimed another takeaway would result in more traffic parking in the area, worrying the plans "will exacerbate" this problem if given the green light by planning chiefs.

Mr Hussain said: "We are looking to employ eight to ten people if the plans are approved and we will have commercial extractor fans to minimise concerns people may have about anything coming out of the restaurant.

"We have been doing this for 40 years, so we know what we're doing."

Before this, the plans came under fire over concerns the takeaway could cut jobs in rival businesses, due to increased competition.