Fish and chip shop's extension near Shrewsbury must be knocked down, say planners
The owner of a fish and chip shop will have to knock down an extension to his takeaway after building it without planning permission.
The Village Fish Bar in Pontesbury, near Shrewsbury, applied for retrospective permission for a single storey restaurant and bedsit to the rear of the property.
Stelios Georgiou also wanted permission for the chip shop to open from 6am to 11pm on Sundays. But this was refused.
Shropshire Council has now issued enforcement notices against the extensions and for the owner to comply with the opening and closing times. The notices are due to take effect next month. The owner must remove the extensions within two months and he must cease trading on Sundays immediately.
One villager, who did not wish to be named, said: "Since April 2016, the current owner has built illegal extensions, a proposed bedsit and has been opening on Sundays.
"No planning was sought, but locals and neighbours forced the issue and a retrospective application was finally validated in September. This was refused earlier this month, but he has still been opening on Sundays despite a strongly and precisely worded reminder from planning to the agent of the proprietor reminding him that this is not allowed.
"The structure built is downright dangerous and ugly – a timber self-build on a chip shop which has ignition sources and hot fat."
Planning officer Bradley Gammond said: "Enforcement notices have been issued for the removal of the single storey side and rear extensions and for the failure to comply with condition four of planning permission – namely for the fish and chip shop to be closed on Sundays.
"The notices are due to take effect on January 27 unless an appeal is made against them beforehand. The time for compliance thereafter is two months for the removal of the extension and immediately for the fish and chip shop to close on a Sunday."
Mr Georgiou was not available for comment.
