A former Alsager town centre bank could be converted to a restaurant.

Newcastle-based HD and LD Properties has applied to Cheshire East Council to convert the former Barclays Bank at 19-21 Crewe Road, Alsager, to a restaurant and bar.

Alsager Town Council has requested that if the application was approved, an outside seating area closed at 11pm, and that more details were provided on extraction equipment and the proposed noise and smell mitigation.

However, the plans have not been welcomed by neighbouring properties, a Lynton Place homeowner felt a 2am license and turning an office space of over 50 years into a restaurant was "ill considered".

Their objection to the application which was submitted via Cheshire East's planning portal added: "Original access [to the site] has been blocked off. There has been a previous issue with the unadopted lane [Lynton Place] being used as a rat run, which led to Barclays paying for speed bumps, but mistakenly tarmacked over a drain cover and drains in their haste to get the job done.

"People will be milling around the rear of this property until after 2am. As it is unlit and an unadopted road [Lynton Place], local residents will bear the costs of increased use, noise and the potential for loud 'lively' behaviour until after 2am on a Saturday night/Sunday morning."

Having moved to the area just 12 months ago, a Sandbach Road North homeowner was "very disappointed" that plans had been submitted at the former Barclays site for "this kind of use".

Their objection stated: "I live directly behind the said development on Sandbach Road North in which we have direct access on to the unadopted lane [Lynton Place] to the rear of our property in which we require access 24/7.

"This seems to be completely unacceptable for this to become a highway for vehicles, delivery vans and commercial waste trucks to be using to access a restaurant business on the grounds of health and public safety and residents' privacy in their own rear gardens, as well as traffic volume and pollution in enclosed areas.

"The development will increase anti-social behaviour late at night and during the day, and bring more footfall on a private lane, which is not adopted by the council.

"This will also be an invasion of privacy for all residents with noise and air pollution from large external ventilation and extractors, as well as an eyesore from the views of all homes on Lynton Place and on the corner of Sandbach Road North.

"This will also decrease property prices in the area, and this is unacceptable in such a lovely area which already has many bars, food outlets and restaurants."

The resident claimed that several neighbouring properties had not been notified of the submitted application.

The planning application states the restaurant would create eight full-time and 10 part-time jobs.

The proposed opening hours are Monday to Friday, 10am to 11pm, Saturdays, 10am to 2am; and Sundays and bank holidays, 10am to 8pm.

The last date for residents to submit comments on the application which can be viewed here is Friday (30th July). Cheshire East are expected to make a decision on the application by 31st August.

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