BUSINESSES and councillors have hit out at plans to turn a shop into a fast food takeaway.

The proposal to transform the Foto-Fast shop in Market Street, Colne, into an Indian takeaway met with disapproval despite being backed by a council officers.

Joanne Parkinson, landlady of the neighbouring Red Lion Hotel, said fumes from the takeaway’s extractor fan would make their way into the pub.

Her fears were supported by borough and town councillors, who said the takeaway could lead to anti-social behaviour.

But planning officers at the Colne committee meeting said the plans were within council policy and would pose ‘no problems.’ Mrs Parkinson told the meeting: “The takeaway will create problems because teenagers will hang around there and elderly people are frightened to walk past them, so it will affect our trade.

“We will get the smells into our living quarters from the extractor fan.”

Town councillor Grahame Wharton said a takeaway was ‘not suitable’ for the town centre and was concerned there would be ‘no shops left.’ And Coun Mike Calvert said there were ‘grave concerns’ about the ‘long standing issues’ to do with anti-social behaviour.

Coun Ann Kerrigan added: “We would like retail outlets to give a good balance of shops. I am against these plans because people who live in the town centre will suffer.”

However Naveed Ahmed, who submitted the application, said he had run a takeaway in Burnley for five years and not had any complaints.

The application was deferred was deferred until next month’s meeing for the committee to consider the visual impact of an exterior flue.