PLANS to redevelop a restaurant into a motel and flats were approved, despite being criticised by planning officers.

Developers behind the plans at Hardy’s Bar and Grill in Imperial Avenue, Mayland, already have permission to convert the building into four one-bedroom flats and a single-storey block of five motel units.

The restaurant now wants to change its plans from only allowing employees to live in the first-floor flats to offering them to the public.

Maldon District Council planning officer Nicola Ward said if the change was passed, the occupiers of the unit would be “likely to be adversely affected by noise and disturbance from the public house”.

But planning committee chairman Richard Dewick said they could see no reason to refuse the developer the change.

He said: “I think the view of members was there was very little difference in it being used for staff working as for residential use for anyone.

“It was a little bit difficult to see what the argument was for refusal.

“The members thought it being used for non-staff members was acceptable.”

Despite issues surrounding noise and the likelihood the business could “disturb” residents, Mrs Ward said the plan also had positive areas.

She added: “It is considered the level of accommodation that would be expected to be available and the standard of living conditions would be different to that which would be expected of a residential dwelling.”

Mr Dewick said another factor in the decision was that residents will be aware of potential disturbances at times, as a result of living above a busy restaurant.

He said: “When you walk down any high street, nearly all the shops have flats over them.

“It is an accepted part of the high street and it works well in those cases.

“I can understand the argument you would get more noise from a pub than a shop but having said that, when you rent a property above a pub you know that.

“There is also a need for one or two-bed flats and members took that view.”