EFFORTS by the owner of a Christchurch coffee shop to secure longer opening hours have had a further set back.

BCP Council has turned down a planning application to allow Baggies to sell food and alcohol as late as 2am seven days a week.

It followed objections from people living in a neighbouring retirement complex and Dorset Police.

It said the change would “likely result in a significant increase” in disorder.

The application was submitted by the High Street coffee shop’s owner Mike Ismail in September after he was refused a premises licence for similar hours.

He would need both planning permission and a licence to open later.

He has urged the council to permit him to open later, saying his business was “struggling big time” with its existing 5.30pm limit.

But in September the council’s licensing sub-committee said they had “no confidence” in Mr Ismail’s ability to manage later closing times.

And planning officers have now rejected the planning application due to concerns about a lack of information about how increases in anti-social behaviour could be managed.

Objections had been submitted by neighbours of the coffee shop, including those living at Fleur De Lis which is managed by Renaissance Retirement.

“We are very concerned that the proposed late night and early morning sale of hot food and alcohol on and off the premises will result in associated anti-social behaviour, detrimental to the residents’ peaceful enjoyment of their homes,” Peter Tanner, a senior planner at the firm, said.

Similar fears were raised by Sgt Gareth Gosling who said the change would “significantly alter” the surrounding area of the town in the evening.

“This additional provision will likely result in a notable increase in demand on resources, especially those of Dorset Police,” he said.

The objectors were backed by council planning officer Kim Bowditch who refused planning permission on Thursday (December 5).

She said Mr Ismail had not outlined how he would mitigate possible problems.

“The area is one wherein some commercial activity extends beyond normal working patterns and the highways immediately adjoining the site are seldom entirely devoid of traffic,” her report said.

“However, the operating hours sought by this application exceed those of other established premises in the immediate locality.

“The concerns expressed by local residents and Dorset Police are considered to be valid in terms of the potential noise and disturbance generated by the intensification of the use.

“The application provides no information as to how those impacts could be mitigated or managed.”