A RIVERSIDE “piazza” scheme with two restaurants in the centre of Salisbury will go before councillors tonight (Thursday) for planning permission.

The scheme in Avon Row – the riverside walkway behind New Look that links Fisherton Street and Crane Street – involves a vacant unit to the south of the former Woolworth’s building plus the former Allied Garden Centre building.

The developer, Threadneedle Property Investments, wants to demolish the western part of the building and provide a single story extension to the existing unit.

It would also knock down Number 98 Crane Street, replacing it with a new gatehouse to allow access to the site, and create a new delivery yard. An outdoor seating area, or piazza, would involve 16 tables and 64 chairs.

More than 50 letters voicing strong objections have been sent in over the plans with concerns over traffic and highway safety, noise from open air restaurants, light pollution and loss of privacy.

A Wiltshire Council planning officer said: “Many objectors are local residents who are extremely concerned about potential disturbance from noise from customers, particularly late at night as people leave and loiter, noise from the outdoor seating area, including the tables and chairs being put away, disturbance from music, noise from extraction and refrigeration equipment on the buildings, noise from deliveries and smells from cooking fumes.”

Developers want the operating hours for the restaurant to run from 9am to midnight, seven days a week, including bank holidays. Planning officers are recommending the plans be approved subject to conditions, saying it is likely to improve the vitality of the city centre, it would enhance the river frontage and it would provide additional employment.

Conditions include that the outside seating area shall only be used between the hours of 9am and 6pm Monday to Saturday, and 10am to 5pm Sundays and Bank Holidays.

A conservation officer warned the demolition of 98 Crane Street, an unlisted building, would need to be “carefully controlled” to ensure the listed building to the east, to which number 98 is attached and the masonic Hall are “adequately protected”.

Salisbury City Council supports the scheme and while Salisbury Civic Society initially objected to the demolition of 98 Crane Street and its replacement building, it withdrew its objection after seeing a revised design.

Three letters in support said the scheme would help the city “move forward” and make it more attractive and welcoming.

The plans will go before Wiltshire councillors at tonight’s 6pm Southern Area Planning Committee meeting at City Hall.