AN award-winning restaurant has been granted permission to build a new extension and open its kitchen to customers in the Grade II listed building.

The Raby Hunt Inn, in Summerhouse, near Darlington, has proved a huge success with food lovers and the development is designed to improve the ‘customer experience’.

Members of Darlington Borough Council’s planning committee were told the listed building is in a protected area but the improvements did not raise any concern with the authority’s conservation officer.

Owner Russell Close told the committee that the proposals would not increase the number of customers eating at the double Michelin Star winning restaurant.

“The main thing we are trying to do here is improve the customer experience,” he said. “We are a caring business and want to look after this building.”

Residents of the small village had raised concerns about parking issues connected with the busy restaurant.

Yvonne Stonehouse, the parish chairwoman for Summerhouse, told members that parking had been an issue for local residents as well as concerns about early morning deliveries and noise created by the business.

The officer report before committee confirmed that the roof of the extension in the rear of the building would not be converted into open access for customers and would only be used to grow fresh vegetables and herbs for the restaurant.

Four letters of objection had been submitted by residents concerned about the impact the proposal would have on their daily lives.

Among the residents’ concerns were fears that proposed changes would exasperate existing parking issues in the tiny village as well as kitchen noise coming from the premises throughout day with deliveries and collections taking place between 5am and 10pm when the restaurant was open and that the extension would overlook neighbouring properties.

Mr Close accepted there were deliveries early in the morning, which are consistent with a restaurant business, but denied that there was excessive noise when they were taking place.

Craig Kipling, of design company Create Architecture, told the committee that additional planning consent would be required for the roof to be used as an open air drinking or eating area.

The application was passed unanimously by committee members.