A 'FINELY balanced' application to extend the opening hours of a prospective Barrow takeaway has been given approval.

The application for 9 Risedale Road was considered by the borough council's planning committee on Tuesday.

Permission was being sought for a closing time of 11pm rather than 9pm. 

In a report produced ahead of Tuesday's meeting, case officer Jennifer Dickinson acknowledged that the 9pm opening hours 'were a factor' in the decision to grant approval to turn the property into a hot-food takeaway in October 2021. 

She described the application as 'finely balanced' and said that permitting an additional two hours' opening for the site could have a 'modest impact' on residential amenity. 

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"However, the site is situated within an established commercial block of properties identified as a neighbourhood shopping area, many of which could operate with unlimited opening times under planning," she said.

"There are examples of similar uses operating across other neighbourhood shopping centres with a similar closing time, with no recognisable adverse impact upon residential amenity."

She said there was concern that to decline the application, which was submitted by Mr S Sefil, could 'be considered to be acting unreasonably' if the applicant were to appeal.