By Kerry Ashdown,Local Democracy Reporter

Copyright birminghammail

A new burger joint in Cannock has been given the green light to serve takeaway grub until 3am. However, it must first secure planning permission for extended opening hours before it can start operating into the wee hours. The Stafford Road premises, which was converted from a shop to a hot food takeaway back in 2009, had its opening hours restricted to between 11am and 10pm from Monday to Saturday, with no trading on Sundays. Previously home to a fish and chip shop, the unit reopened as Wall Street Burgers this summer. The operator now wants to dish out hot food past 11pm and has applied for a premises licence to stay open until 3am every day of the week. Read more: ‘We must call out racism’ Neither Staffordshire Police nor Cannock Chase Council raised any objections to the premises licence application. However, six local residents voiced concerns that the late-night opening hours could result in noise disturbance in the nearby residential area. One resident expressed their worry, saying: “Extending trading hours until 3am would seriously affect our children’s ability to sleep and concentrate on their studies. This disruption will inevitably impact their education and our household’s daily routine. “Furthermore, our property is situated in a primarily residential area. Allowing late night operations is likely to increase noise from customers, conversations, and vehicle movements during the early hours of the morning. This increased activity will disturb not only our family but also our neighbours, reducing the peace and quiet expected in a residential setting.” Another resident expressed concern: “I am concerned about antisocial behaviour if Wall St Burgers are allowed a licence after 11pm. There is a strong possibility that a number of customers at that time will be returning from town having consumed alcohol; being close to town we already suffer from drunken anti social behaviour and the food outlet will undoubtedly be a draw to these individuals.” They added: “There is already light pollution when trying to get to sleep – this is acceptable until 11pm but not at 2-3am. More concerning is the noise that is created by customers arriving and departing the premises; a late licence will dramatically increase this at a time when we are trying to sleep.” Cannock Chase Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee convened to review the application on Tuesday (September 30). The committee was told that applicant Jibraan Raza Shah already operated four other Wall Street Burger outlets throughout the West Midlands, with branches in Coventry and Birmingham . In a response to objections, made prior to Tuesday’s hearing, he stated that the premises would shut its doors to customers at 11pm each day if the late-night refreshment licence was approved. Post 11pm, it would operate as a delivery-only service, employing all delivery drivers directly to maintain control over conduct, noise levels and behaviour. Mr Shah informed the panel: “We haven’t had any issues in any of our other branches. If there is something that concerns you we are here to help and we want to keep a safe and clean environment. “We had so many responses to this application we took that into consideration and came up with a response that we will close the store (to the public) at 11pm. We will not use external drivers, only in-house drivers doing deliveries and they will try and keep the noise down as much as possible. “There won’t be anyone congregating outside because there will be no access to the premises after 11pm. Our drivers will be told we don’t want them to go up the cul de sac unless they have got to because there is a delivery there. “There will be a maximum of three drivers at a time and the car park has enough room for three drivers. We have a litter picking system and we have extended that – we empty the council bin outside when it is full.” The panel gave the green light for the premises licence, permitting hot food sales until 3am, but with a string of conditions attached. These stipulations include turning off external lights by 11pm, conducting regular litter picks in the vicinity and prohibiting delivery vehicles from idling or leaving their lights on past 11pm. Mr Shah was also given a stern reminder that he must obtain planning permission if he wishes to keep the premises open beyond 10pm and on Sundays. This would necessitate a separate application to the district council.