A BUSINESSMAN hoping to transform an empty shop into a restaurant, bar and music venue, may be refused permission because council bosses say there are already too many food businesses nearby.

Colchester businessman Harka Sewa’s proposed Nepalese Gurkha restaurant would feature live music and a roof garden.

He says it would bring “a buzz” to the town and attract people from as far as London.

Mr Harka has applied to Colchester Council for planning permission to open the restaurant in the former Fair Exchange Furniture Shop, in St Botolph’s Street, Colchester.

However, planners are concerned the street and neighbouring Queen Street already have enough food outlets – so much so, the area is known locally as “kebab alley”.

David Whybrow, the council’s development manager, said: “It is a source of concern for the council these types of restaurants give rise to late-night trouble.

“We like to have a good mix of usage, rather than lots of the same type.

“There are very strict policy guidelines about the number of non-retail units we can have in town centre streets and too many takeaways cause particular problems, such as attracting drinkers at the end of a night out, which can result in antisocial behaviour.”

Mr Whybrow said the current policy was at least 60 per cent of buildings in the area should be shops, with no takeaways sited side by side.

However, Mr Harka, of Valentinus Crescent, Colchester, said: “My proposal is to develop the premises as a specialist Nepalese restaurant, which would compliment the cosmopolitan offerings of Colchester as a city in the making.

“I hope the council will look at the application and see it is different to the other establishments we already have in the street.”

The council’s planning committee is due to make a decision on his proposal next month.