A SIXTH takeaway is to open in Burnley town centre, despite traders saying there are already too many.

Councillors approved plans to open an evening takeaway and daytime cafe and shop at the former Windmills Models at the bottom of St James’s Street.

A policy had been introduced by the council stopping takeaway’s or taxi offices opening in the lower part of St James’s Street, and the applicant was told plans for just a takeaway would be rejected.

There are already five takeaways in that area Richard Ellison, who represents a group of traders under the name of the St James’s Street Development Association, said the plan was exploiting a loophole.

“This is a blatant attempt to gain planning permission for a takeaway by the back door,” he said.

“Next month there will be another similar application and the month after there will be another.

“There should be more shops here, not takeaways.”

Councillors approved the plans on the provision that the owner would have to open the cafe and shop for a set number of daytime hours.

Coun Linda White said: “This area is already choc-a-block with takeaways.

"Approving this will open the floodgates for more. It is simply exploiting a loophole to get permission.”

Coun Peter McCann said that the building needed something doing to it.

He said: “This shop has been empty for quite a number of years.

“It is important to get some use in there and get it open during the daytime, we can’t live off what might happen in the future.”