NEIGHBOURS fighting plans for a hot food takeaway near their homes will have to wait another three weeks to learn whether they have won their battle.

More than 70 people living in Britannia, Bacup, are campaigning to prevent the takeaway from opening on Rochdale Road. They have sent three letters and a 69-signature petition to Rossendale Council.

But the planning sub-committee have put off making a decision. The planning application will now be decided by the full Engineering and Planning Committee.

Residents claim the shop would be noisy, especially late at night, increase litter, cause security problems for other businesses nearby and affect the trade of another takeaway in the area. A petition in favour of the shop, signed by 230 people, has been submitted by the applicant.

But the objectors have the support of planning officers. A similar application was rejected four years ago because of noise, litter, disturbance and cooking smells.

The applicant appealed but a government inspector upheld the council's ruling.

The planning committee will be told the current applicant believes the situation has changed in four years.

Three shops in the area have closed and the two properties on either side of the proposed shop are empty.

But planners believe the current application is little different from the original one and should be turned down for the same reasons.

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