DESPITE objections from residents, Thurrock planners have given the green light to the conversion of a former charity shop into a takeaway restaurant.

Commenting on the application for the shop on the Derwent Parade in South Ockendon, residents told of their concerns about noise and extra traffic.

However, officers approved the conversion of the former St Luke's Hospice shop along with the installation of an extraction unit.

Letters of objection sent to the council included fears of litter and smells, excessive noise and increased strains on parking in the area. The unit within a parade of shops will sell food and drink mostly for consumption on site along with takeaways.

The business will employ three full-time and two part-time staff and would be open from 11am to 11pm, Monday to Sunday.

Derwent Parade, showing the former St Luke's Shop.

Lynsey Burns, who lives in Derwent Parade, objected to the proposal. She said: "I live above the charity shop, currently the parking situation is horrendous.

"We have the post office whose staff use parking spaces during the day.

"We have the Thurrock Lifestyle Solutions and the staff also use the car park and their minibus drops and picks up during the day and then we have Bargain Booze, the Indian takeaway and the African shop all in this little closed car park. We have constant deliveries and noise throughout the day.

"We then have multiple bins for each of these shops which also take up parking spaces.

"Sometimes I am unable to park outside my property when I come home from work, I then have to park on the road which impacts my car insurance as I'm not parking my vehicle where I state it's parked at night."

Kelly Hurt, of Eden Green, South Ockendon, added: "Do we really need another takeaway shop in the parade? How about something different, DIY store or hobby store instead of more food and mess in the parade."

A planning officer report said: "Comments received from the neighbouring residential properties have largely objected to the use of the premises as café/restaurant and the associated takeaway use and the noise and waste which comes from the use.

"However, the main change of use would not require formal additional planning consent and the council has fully assessed the impact of the proposed additional takeaway use and considers it could not reasonably be objected to on planning grounds."

Last week residents in neighbouring Aveley expressed disappointment after a former vet's surgery on the village High Street was given the green light to become a takeaway.