A CONTROVERSIAL plan to launch a new hot food takeaway service in Tillicoultry could lead to an ‘unwelcome’ increase in traffic on Hill Street, a council officer has claimed.

Stuart Cullen, principal roads and flooding officer, also claimed to be unconvinced that an on-site carpark would mitigate the issue.

His comments were included in a submission to the local authority lodged last month, following Eros Retail Ltd’s application to open a hot food outlet at 9 Hill Street.

The company wants to sub-divide part of a retail unit which houses Greens of Tillicoultry, and also proposes to add a roof-mounted ventilation flue to the building.

A total of 13 objections have already been lodged with the council, many of which relate to the lack of parking spaces on the street.

And in his submission, Mr Cullen said: “The parking demand generated by takeaway premises is typically short term and high turnover hence driving customers often park as conveniently as possible sometimes illegally as they often consider the impact of such parking to be minor for the short periods involved.

“Hill Street is well known to accommodate high on-street parking demands mostly by residents with this increasing further in the evenings.

“It is also a regularly used through access route form the A91 to Stalker Avenue to the north.

“My view is customer parking associated with the proposed use is likely to add to the parking demands on this portion of Hill Street and this would not be welcomed.

“Even if the use of the existing private car park to the north of the building is encouraged, I am not convinced that driving customers would regularly use this car park.”

That submission accords with what many of those who submitted objections had warned about.

For example, Mr John McMillan said: "There is no area for parking on the road in front of the premises.

"This would hinder safe foot traffic as the parking would be on the pavement.

"The pavements on the street are not wide enough to accommodate the foot traffic."

And Mr Gordon Ross added: "Typically in Tillicoultry and in Hill Street, motorists commonly ignore the double yellow parking lines.

"This creates a dangerous situation for people turning in and out of Hill Street.

"In addition the experience of Green's [sic] is that people tend not to use the car park at Greens and park on the street therefore creating pressure on on-street parking for residents."

Eros Retail Ltd’s application is now awaiting the final decision of the local authority.

To view the application, objections and all the other associated planning documents, visit tinyurl.com/y65mlbc3