A NEWPORT fish and chips shop has won a planning appeal to extend its opening hours over weekends and public holidays.

Beatrix Hughes, owner of the Pie Corner Fish Bar in Rogerstone, says she is ‘over the moon’ after a Welsh Government inspector overruled Newport City Council’s decision to refuse the proposals.

In June, the council’s planning committee opposed plans to open the shop five hours earlier and stay open for one hour longer on Sundays, bank holidays and public holidays.

Members said the extra hours would affect the living conditions of neighbouring residents, and lead to more noise, odour, litter and disturbance.

But planning inspector Richard Duggan said the proposals ‘represented a fair balance between the interests of the business and allowing nearby residents some respite from its effects’.

Writing in his decision notice, Mr Duggan said customers buying food from takeaways were more likely to eat at home or elsewhere rather than at the premises.

The report also notes that there is no evidence of complaints received by the council, or Gwent Police, regarding current operations at the site.

READ MORE: Newport fish and chips shop appeals against extended hours refusal

Councillors had raised concerns about an increase in cooking smells coming from the shop, but the council had already approved an extraction system which would clear cooking smells.

Mr Duggan also said that Pie Corner Fish Bar had adequate litter provision, and that there was no evidence of any highway safety issues in the area.

“I consider the proposed increase in opening hours of five hours during the daytime and only one hour into the evening would be unlikely to result in unacceptable levels of noise and disturbance for nearby residents,” he said.

“Whilst I note the concerns of local residents they are not sufficient to alter the considerations.”

Mr Duggan also noted inconsistencies within the description of the proposal within the council’s paperwork, with reports failing to refer to the proposals for opening times on public holidays.

Ms Hughes had applied for costs after claiming that the committee had based their decision on ‘unsubstantiated local opinion that was unsupported by professional evidence’.

But Mr Duggan was ‘broadly satisfied’ that the committee’s reasons for refusal were based on ‘reasonable planning grounds’, and not wholly based on local objections.

Speaking after the decision, Ms Hughes praised the work of LRJ Planning, who lodged the appeal on her behalf.

“We’re over the moon,” said Ms Hughes.

“We were told that this change of condition was something that should have passed quite through quite simply, so it was a bit of shock when it didn’t.

“The costs were refused but we’re not annoyed about that, we’re just happy to win the appeal.”

Ms Hughes said the next step for the shop is to take on new staff to help with the shop’s newly extended opening times.

Newport City Council was contacted for comment.