Neighbours of a historic Stirling church have lodged objections against a plan to turn it into a buffet restaurant.
A proposal to convert the former Allan Park South Church on Dumbarton Road was announced in March.
Hot World Cuisine confirmed it wants to create a world buffet restaurant and a Kongz outlet selling smash burgers on the site.
At the time, a spokesman told The Courier the business planned to retain everything inside the B-listed building and create up to 50 jobs.
However, locals have raised concerns over parking, signage and suitability for the area.
Neighbouring resident Alejandro Gutierrez said that while the business would bring benefits to the city, it was the wrong location for it.
He felt parking would become “impossible” for residents due to the lack of spaces at the restaurant.
He wrote: “The number of cars coming into this restaurant will also create a big traffic problem in this area.
“And there is no way to ease this, considering the limited options to enter or leave the old town in Stirling.
“This area attracts thousands of tourists every month and would be a shame to turn this beautiful area into this type of buffet.
“Honestly, a Wetherspoon would have been OK, not this.”
Parking issues would worsen, say Stirling residents
Kenny McAndrew, a Dumbarton Road resident, fears he will not be able to park his car in the zone he pays for.
He wrote: “The parking situation around my current residence is already particularly challenging and I feel the world buffet proposal would significantly add to the issue.
“I pay for an annual parking permit in Dumbarton Road and there are only a maximum of 15 spaces available to me.
“I arrive home regularly and have to wait for a space or pay for parking elsewhere.
“Customers at the proposed world buffet would undoubtedly use some of these spaces, particularly during the times of no restrictions.”
Ross Mackenzie welcomed the plan as the proposal would put the former church to “productive economic use rather than it being left to decline”.
However, he called for a review of parking zones if the scheme goes ahead.
Other neighbours said the plans would “exacerbate” and “unacceptably” increase parking issues.
Signage concerns over Hot World Cuisine proposal
Kings’ Park Community Council also objected to the plan, saying it was “implausible” for the restaurant to be sustained without car parking.
The statement continued to say that commercial signage would be “entirely out of keeping with the importance of this location”.
This was echoed by Eleanor Caldwell, who said “unsightly signage” would be “inappropriate” given the church’s history.
Noise levels, anti-social behaviour, litter, drainage and viability were also highlighted.
The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings said it was “concerned at the overall intensity of the scale of the proposed conversion”.
The body supported “low-key” interventions and “commended” the reuse of pews, but had concerns about how comfortable they would be for customers
It also said that customer parking remained a “key question”.
The consultation period drew nine comments, including five objections. No comments of support were submitted.
Stirling Council will determine the planning application.
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