AN Indian bakery has been given the go-ahead to satisfy the city's sweet tooth.

Asians in Worcester currently travel to Birmingham to buy sweets, known as mithai, for weddings and other celebrations.

But councillors have now signed off on plans to build a bakery and delicatessen in a ground floor property in Wylds Lane, Worcester.

The project received planning approval despite concerns that the business will create odour, noise and parking issues.

Cllr Paul Denham said: "It will meet a real need in the area.

"I've been to a number of events put on by the Asian community and I know most of the catering for these events is from Birmingham.

"There's a great advantage I think in having this operation in Worcester, which keeps this business local rather than sending it to Birmingham.

"It seems to me an appropriate area to have it. We do have Asians living all over [the city] but we have got a considerable number in and around Wylds Lane."

Jo Wainwright, who lives next door to the proposed bakery, objected to the development at the Worcester City Council planning committee meeting on Thursday.

She said: "The opening hours are just unacceptable. From 7am to 10pm, seven days a week, it's just unacceptable.

"I think it's in the wrong place. Why isn't it in the city centre? Put a shop in the centre where it should be, it's a residential unit."

Ms Wainwright said she and her son, who has just started year 10 at school, would suffer from 'unnecessary disturbance' due to the business.

She raised fears about smells and noise coming from the business and said it would place extra strain on parking in the street.

Anita Marles, an agent for the planning applicant, said the bakery will address local needs by providing sweet and savoury food.

She added that deliveries will be three times a week - usually first thing in the morning - and drivers will use existing parking bays.

She also said a carbon filter extraction system will extract the by-products from cooking and only make around 40 decibels of noise.

Cllr Jabba Riaz's wife will run the shop, although an opening date has yet to be set.

She is considering reducing the opening hours in response to residents' concerns.

Treats such as jalebi, barfi and gulab jamun will be sold at the shop, in addition to drinks and traditional products like Indian flatbreads.

Many of the goods will need to be baked within a day or two of them being sold.