Wickersley restaurant expansion approved despite noise and traffic fears

Rotherham Council was asked to allow the W restaurant, in Bawtry Road, Wickersley, to knock through into an adjoining office building to allow numbers of seats to be increased by around a third, from 80 to 108.

Planning officials recommended the scheme be approved although the site of the business is outside the commercial centre of Wickersley and technically in a residential area.

Neighbours raised concerns that they would face increased problems from noise at the restaurant and increased street parking because there was no dedicated car park for the premises.

Sarah Barber, who lives nearby, spoke at the planning meeting to say: “The main issues for us is that we do get noise from the restaurant. You can hear diners and the noise of plates.

“We have staff who congregate outside the deli cafe area, they sometimes stand there for a smoke and a chat.

“We have noise from bottles being dropped into bins. The big problem for us is the waste. Bins are over the garden wall, often badly managed. We have had problems with the drains being blocked and problems with vermin because of the bins.

“The premises don’t have a car park,” she said.

Lee Smith, from the restaurant, addressed councillors and agreed the area had a parking problem, but that existed from 8am and was not caused by the restaurant, he said.

“Our guests come for a drink and a meal. They should not be driving, so we don’t think we are contributing to that,” he said.

Planning officer Nigel Hancock told councillors the main source of noise in the area was traffic and that additional noise from the restaurant “would be materially harmful enough to justify refusing this application.”

It was granted.