Wary councillors approved 24-hour opening at a McDonald's in Warwick – but only for an initial 12-month period. 

Operators of the restaurant on Emscote Road, Warwick, applied to Warwick District Council to lift planning conditions that restricted opening to 6am until 11pm each day to prevent overnight nuisance. 

Nearby residents questioned what had changed since but in assessing the decision during Wednesday's meeting of the district's planning committee – the panel of councillors that decides – it was revealed that the advice of the professionals at the council had never altered. 

Fielding the question from Cllr Paul Wightman, business manager for development Sandip Sahota said: "I went back and had a look at the minutes of the (decision on the) original restaurant and the recommendation from officers did not have a condition on opening hours.

"It was a condition added by members (councillors) at the meeting so nothing has changed, it was just that members felt at that point that there was not enough information to demonstrate that it was not needed, so it was added."

The prospect of a temporary permission had been floated in a pre-meeting question from Cllr Richard Dickson, an option Cllr Paul Wightman was keen to develop. 

Mr Sahota said: "Our consultees – safer communities and environmental health – are saying the mitigation measures are satisfactory. 

"They are the experts but the outcomes are not tested. There is an option to do a temporary permission, say for 12 months, to test whether the measures are suitable and address the adverse impacts that may come from the extended hours.

"After that, they might need to submit information to the council as part of an application in 12 months' time to make that permanent or whatever the council deems appropriate at that time."

Cllr Becky Davidson was concerned based on past experience of anti-social behaviour at a 24-hour McDonald's on Europa Way, Leamington Spa.

"I am a bit confused as to why there has been no objection (from officers)," she said.

"There is crime that happens there between midnight and 5am, I know there was some news around that was quite high profile."

Cllr Claire Wightman sympathised with residents but supported the pragmatic approach in offering a temporary permission.

"If I lived in the vicinity at the time the original application was approved and I was assured by those conditions, only to find years later that they were being overturned, I can see that being a source of frustration," she said.

"However, I am also mindful that we are talking about risks rather than issues.

"Environmental health and Warwickshire Police have not objected. If over an extended period of time the risk does not materialise into an issue, it can reasonably be said that risk reduces."

The 12-month permission gained unanimous support from the committee but the 24-hour opening will also require a licence from Warwick District Council, an entirely separate process and decision.