CONTROVERSIAL plans for a pizza outlet in Romsey appear to have been boxed up for good following a government inspector’s ruling.

Fast food giant, Dominos, wanted to open a takeaway near the town’s Plaza Theatre on Winchester Road – but councillors blocked the move last year amid fears it would cause late-night noise pollution and antisocial behaviour.

Applicants, St James Developments International Ltd, lodged an appeal against the decision, made by Test Valley Borough Council’s southern area planning committee.

But a government inspector backed the authority’s stance this week, adding that he had “serious doubts” about the effect that a fast food outlet could have on highway safety.

In summing up his decision, planning inspector Roger Pritchard said: “The effect of replacing that outlet with a hot food takeaway, which would include a home delivery service, would inevitably result in a significant increase in comings and goings that would be especially noticeable in the late evenings.

“The outcome would be significantly greater disturbance to neighbouring residential properties.

The proposed development would, in my view, result in significant material harm to the living conditions of the occupants of neighbouring properties and to those of 44 Winchester Road in particular.”

A spokesman from St James Developments was unavailable for comment.