VILLAGERS today vowed to fight moves to open a fast-food takeaway in the heart of a large estate – fearing it will rekindle old problems.Planners have received an application to use an empty shop unit in Faulkeners Way, Trimley St Mary, for a takeaway and restaurant.

VILLAGERS today vowed to fight moves to open a fast-food takeaway in the heart of a large estate – fearing it will rekindle old problems.

Planners have received an application to use an empty shop unit in Faulkeners Way, Trimley St Mary, for a takeaway and restaurant.

But parish councillors and residents of the Farmlands estate fear the use will encourage youngsters to hang around late at night, bringing back anti-social activities which they have been trying to drive out of the area.

Police have been working hard to stop youngsters gathering around the parade of shops, drinking, and causing noise and nuisance and creating an intimidating atmosphere.

Officers have poured away drink, sent letters to parents about their children's activities, and had a zero tolerance policy towards those causing trouble.

But councillors feel a takeaway – possibly an Indian restaurant or a kebab house, operating from 12pm to 2pm and 5pm to 11pm – would provide a new attraction for the youngsters.

They also fear problems over litter, noise, smells, increased traffic, and annoyance for people living in the flats above the shops.

Three years ago, there was a huge outcry when plans were submitted for a Chinese takeaway in the unit and an extraordinary village meeting was held.

The use though did get the go-ahead from Suffolk Coastal council – but the landlord could not open the takeaway as the person in the flat above refused to allow a flue to take away smells to be attached to their home.

Councillor Mary Dixon said: "The local residents certainly feel that this use will encourage people to hang around and lead to a recurrence of all the problems which the police have been working so hard to deal with."

Councillor Susan Ring said: "My concern is that this facility will start off as a restaurant with some takeaway, and then the restaurant side will diminish until it becomes simply a takeaway. I don't think people living in that area would want that at all."

Council chairman Richard Kerry said: "If people who live there really don't want it then we have to take their protests to Suffolk Coastal and let them know people's opinions. We cannot do a U-turn on this."

The applicants have told planners the scheme would breath new life into a shop unit which has been empty for some years and have asked for a decision to be made as quickly as possible.

n What do you think – would there be a problem with a restaurant/takeaway in Faulkeners Way? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail EveningStarLetters@eveningstar.co.uk