PLANS to build an extension for a function room at a busy restaurant could be thwarted because no agreement can be reached on opening hours.

Anthony Locke, of Ridge Cottage, Ridge Avenue, Burnley, addressed members of Burnley Council's development control committee about the proposal at their last meeting in July.

Mr Locke asked for opening hours to be extended at the premises from the daytime use the authority recommended.

Councillors voted to give officers delegated powers to discuss opening hours with the applicant but the recommendation before Thursday's development control meeting is still to refuse the plans.

Mr Locke said he approached planning officers to ask for the opening hours to be the same as the restaurant, with a 12 midnight closing time, but was told that was not acceptable.

He said: "The restaurant is run by my wife more out of enthusiasm than commercial drive and the function room would only be used if people asked for it.

"We never saw it as a full blown function room with music at all hours. We have three young children and would not want that."

He said his immediate neighbours had voiced no objections.

The application has prompted a objection from a resident of Ridge Row who said there was inadequate car parking and if cars were parked on the road there would be a road safety concern.

Burnley Civic Society is concerned about the car parking as is the parish church of St Peter but the highway authority considers the parking provision sufficient and raises no objections.

Councillors will be told: "It is felt that, providing the functions are restricted to daytime for business meetings, funerals, christenings and events of a similar nature, the adjoining dwelling is not likely to experience unreasonable noise and disturbance.

"The restaurant use is likely to cause less disturbance compared to functions which would consist of a larger number of people coming and going at at approximately the same time compared to small numbers of people attending the restaurant at varying times."

The officer concludes the application should be refused because no agreement can be reached on a time limit condition and so it is considered harmful to the residential amenity and contrary to policies in the Burnley District Local Plan.