AN Indian restaurant and takeaway in Worcester is looking to expand its business and open up a new premises on a housing estate in the city.

Pasha in St John’s, which has been running since 1987, has put forward proposals to take over a former kitchen and bathroom showroom in Lower Wick.

An argument has been put forward suggesting the new restaurant and takeaway at 61 Canada Way could benefit other businesses in the area.

“This should compliment if not encourage sales at the Co-op and B&G off licence as customers can purchase their own alcohol to take to the restaurant,” said a design and access statement submitted to the city council’s planning department.

Nurul Haque, who runs Pasha, has applied to transform the former KMD showroom from a retail unit into a restaurant with ancillary hot food takeaway and deliveries.

It is proposed that the business, which would cater for up to 20 customers in the restaurant at any one time and employ six full-time and three part-time members of staff, would open at 5pm every day of the week with last orders taken at 10pm Sundays to Thursdays and 10.30pm Fridays to Saturdays.

There are 39 parking spaces in the vicinity, three of which are designated for those with disabilities, while staff parking would be provided at the back of the restaurant and takeaway.

Also included in the application is a plan to install an external kitchen flue extract system at the back of the premises.

In a noise impact assessment submitted to the city council Richard Gatehouse, of Springfield Catering Direct, said the extraction system would neutralise 95 per cent of the odours created in the kitchen and added the unit would be hidden from view.

Meanwhile Mr Haque is waiting for one of the flats above the premises to become available as he plans to use it for staff accommodation.