WHILE there has been a buzz in Marlborough about celebrity chef Rick Stein’s restaurant proposal, a few people have raised their concerns.

Residents living in Old Lion Court behind Lloran House, where Stein wants to open his eatery, are worried their houses will be overlooked and are not shown in the plans.

They are also anxious about the noise from the restaurant, where waste will be stored and the aroma of food. They expressed their disquiet with town councillors during a planning meeting on Monday at the Town Hall.

Resident Carrie Johnson, who was joined by four of her neighbours, said: “If you look at Lloran House they are talking about putting a restaurant on the ground and first floor, that bay window looks directly onto that end house and takes away privacy.”

Five letters of representation have also been made to Wiltshire Council. Deborah Jones, of Old Lions Court wrote: “In addition to major objections of the noise/light/smells/bins/late hours and disruption to the quiet enjoyment of a tranquil residential space, I would urge a visit to the site by planners to see how very inaccurate the plans the plans for the site.

“However prestigious the name of Rick Stein, the fact is it is just another franchise of what will inevitably be a high street chain, where perhaps Marlborough has so many of those.”

But, councillors expressed positivity about the plans and voted to recommend Wiltshire Council does not object to the proposal, but they will be recommending some conditions. Coun Nick Fogg also said he would call the application in to be discussed at a later date.

Coun Alexander Kirk Wilson said: “I would take the view that anxieties about smell or waste are overstated.

“This is not as though it is a huge fish and chip place, nor a doner kebab place or even an Indian restaurant. I would welcome the use of the building in what looks a very sensible manner.”

Coun Bryan Castle, who said he has eaten at Stein’s Padstow restaurant on a number of occasions, added: “They are a classy firm, they are not a fish and chip shop, they are a fish restaurant.

“In their comments, and I do not doubt it, they will bring 40 jobs and we need jobs, we also need people to be attracted to the High Street.”

Stein’s company Stein Trading Limited has applied to change the building, owned by Munro properties, to have a new premises license, listed building consent and planning permission to transform the interior to serve 100 diners.

Wiltshire Council planning officers are expected to make a final decision on the plans by January 22.

The application can be found here.