A BROMLEY Cross restaurant has had its plans to erect an illuminated sign and to retain an extraction flue refused.

The applicant of restaurant Shimla, in Darwen Road, applied for an illuminated sign on the front of the property for advertisement purposes.

The property was previously used as offices and due to government legislation, a planning application was not necessary to transform it into a restaurant.

The restaurant is currently running on a temporary two-year consent, which will be reviewed in March, 2018.

Bolton planning committee refused both applications after the sign was deemed to have too much of a detrimental impact on neighbours and said the flue was not acting as described.

Cllr David Greenhalgh said: “This is a hugely controversial application on a small terraced cottage building.

“The elderly couple next door have been made quite ill by this whole process.

“The restaurant is already allegedly operating a takeaway service, which is bringing in the bulk of their business and this has been advertised by leaflets in the area

“So it is effectively a takeaway through the back door. But this illuminated sign is a step too far.

“It has a detrimental impact on the neighbouring residents and it is inappropriate.

“People can see the restaurant, they know it is there, they don’t need a sign to advertise it further

Cllr Norman Critchley said he “strongly objected” to an illuminated sign because “it was in the middle of a heavy residential area” and was “ a disadvantage to people’s lives”.

Cllr Elaine Sherrington said: “It would never have been accepted as a restaurant if it had come to planning, I would refuse it on both counts.”