Residents object to 'unsociable' Papa John’s pizza takeaway opening until 5am
Residents and environmental health officers have objected to proposals to extended the opening hours of a pizza takeaway until 5am.
People living near to the Papa John’s outlet on Horbury Road, in Wakefield, said they had been impacted by noise and parking issues linked to the business.
Magnum Trading has applied to Wakefield Council for permission to extend the opening hours of the premises until 5am every day.
Ten residents living close to the premises have submitted objections along with the council’s environmental health team.
An officer’s statement said: “My opinion is this will cause unreasonable disturbance to residents at very unsociable hours.”
The officer said extra vehicle movements and “noise from patrons and delivery driver voices” could disturb people living near to the site.
They added: “Recent monitoring carried out after midnight confirmed that, aside from passing traffic which is relatively light, the area is quiet after midnight.”
The officer added that the premises only had planning permission to operate between 10am and 11pm.
A statement submitted by the applicant said: “We take the concerns of local residents seriously.
“The premises is a branded pizza takeaway and delivery operation.
“During late evening and early morning periods the business functions primarily as a dispatch kitchen for pre-ordered deliveries rather than a customer gathering venue.
“The extended hours are intended to facilitate online and telephone orders collected by delivery drivers, not to generate late night footfall.
The applicant added: “The premises will be operated in a manner that actively prevents public nuisance, particularly in relation to noise, litter and disturbance to nearby residents.
“Customers collecting orders will be encouraged to leave the area promptly and quietly, and clear signage will be displayed requesting customers to respect local residents.”
A resident living close to the site on Gill Sike Avenue said: “I am deeply concerned about the impact that an extension of licensing hours will have on my quality of life and the surrounding residential area.
“We already experience significant disturbances under the current operating conditions and I believe granting this licence is likely to exacerbate these issues.”
Another objector said: “We are currently subjected to the constant noise of industrial fans, light pollution and high volumes of traffic from drivers entering and exiting the site until after 11pm.
“Furthermore, we are frequently disturbed by bin wagon and supply chain vehicles arriving at irregular hours during the night.”
A council licensing sub-committee will consider the application at a hearing scheduled for March 26 at Wakefield Town Hall.