FIFTY letters have been sent to Darlington Borough Council objecting to plans for a takeaway business.

Louise Todd has applied to change a vacant shop unit at 6 Burnside Road in the town to a hot food takeaway.

However, local people, as well as the proprietor of a fish and chip shop in nearby Westminster Road, have written to the council with a 270-signature petition signed by his customers, in an attempt to stop the development going ahead.

Various grounds for objection are raised in the letters, including the lack of parking facilities, smells from the business and increased vermin which could be attracted by the business.

The National Federation of Fish Friers has also written highlighting its concerns about a proliferation of hot food outlets in the area.

It wrote: "While accepting that competition cannot be held as a valid reason for objection, there comes a time when a development such as this ceases to become an added facility for local people, but more a nuisance with an increase in smells, litter, young people gathering and late night disturbances."

Despite the objections planning officers are recommending the council's planning committee grants permission for the takeaway when it meets on Wednesday.

Officers say that the business is considered acceptable under planning policy and it will not have a severe enough impact on residential amenity to justify refusal.