Ashby de la Zouch Town Council has objected to a pub's plans to convert land at the rear of the building into a beer garden.

The Railway Tavern in Tamworth Road has applied for a change of use from what is currently garden land.

But the pub wants to include new fencing and seating as part of the redevelopment.

Monday night's meeting of the Town Council's planning committee discussed the application and heard from residents backing on to the property.

It was claimed that the plans would result in a loss of privacy, removal of a hedge as well as increased noise levels and smokers.

The Railway Tavern in Tamworth Road, Ashby. Photo: Instantstreetview.com

Some of the properties likely to be affected are on Lower Packington Road and Avenue Road.

The application was made in July, and is likely to be 'called in' to be discussed by North West Leicestershire District Council's planning committee before a final decision is made.

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Cllr Graham Allman said: "I've heard what local residents have said about people being able to see into their windows - including toilets.

"There's a distinct invasion of privacy, I would move we decline it."

Labour councillor and local ward member, Cllr Dave Bigby, added: "I have been contacted by residents and I have called it in to the planning committee.

"I would vote against it, I don't think it's the right place for a pub garden."

Conservative councillor, Dan Harrison, added: "You want to see businesses, thrive and succeed.

"But when you go by the pub, you can hear loud chatting and I have sympathise with the neighbours backing on, it can't be pleasant.

Plans show where the pub's beer garden would be. Image: North West Leicestershire District Council

"It's not over-raucous, but if that was in close proximity, and you couldn't sit in your own garden in the summer because there are people the other side of the fence, I'd have sympathy.

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"I would vote against this application."

Conservative councillor Roger Bayliss said: "What concerned me about this, was the proposal to remove a hedge that wasn't theirs to remove.

"I don't know how the law stands with that, it's a non-starter as far as I'm concerned."

Cllr John Deakin added: "I'd like to know if there was any pre-consultation from the landlord with residents and surrounding neighbours."

The committee agreed to object to the plan for a number of reasons.