A MENSTRIE shop will be allowed to be turned into a takeaway with conditions.

Plans to change the use of the shop under 8 Main Street East drew five objections from neighbours but were approved by Clackmannanshire Council, if conditions are met.

The owners will also be allowed to extend opening hours to 7am and 11pm for customers.

The application was to vary planning conditions attached to an already existing permission to change use at the ground floor commercial premises, which has been vacant for some time.

Neighbours had raised concerns over parking, the number of already existing takeaways in town, fire safety and the impact of residential amenity with noise and odour emissions.

In its response, the council's roads department said changes to opening hours to include evenings “would be unlikely to have a significant adverse impact on parking or road safety in the area as it is expected that demand for on-street parking would be higher during the day”.

There are parking bays on both sides of the road, it added.

A concern over fire safety in relation to an adjoining house was deemed “not a matter that can be regulated through planning legislation”.

The council's report of handling said: “We have consulted with colleagues within Building Standards and they have advised that it is likely that historically the properties were a single unit there may not be party wall separation.”

They advised this would be a civil matter between the two parties.

Conditions around a proposed flue ventilation system will seek to address concerns over noise and odour, however.

The report said that “it is considered that sufficient details have been provided to demonstrate how a suitable ventilation system and flue could be installed to minimise the risk of nuisance from noise and odour.”

In granting permission, the council made clear that finalised written specification for a ventilation system and external flue will need to be approved by the local authority.

Details will also need to be prepared, by a suitably qualified person, to demonstrate how the noise and vibration impacts generated by the internal and external mechanical ventilation system, flue and use of premises, will be mitigated.