At present the shop at Wincobank Avenue, Sheffield, is open only at lunchtimes, but the owner has applied for a licence that would see the store converted into a hot food takeaway opening until midnight seven days a week.

Local people, who have submitted a petition bearing more than 150 signatures and also written letters of objection against the application, say the takeaway would "cause a lot of distress and anger in what is a residential area, not a business area".

Other objections have been submitted on the grounds of a potential increase in litter, traffic problems that would be caused by cars parking outside the takeaway to collect food and a poten-tial increase in noise late at night.

One resident of Newman Road, which is just around the corner from the sandwich shop, said that they feared extending the opening hours would attract gangs of youths to the area, as had happened in the past.

They said: "The introduction of a late-night takeaway serving food until midnight every night of the week will only succeed in bringing back all the anti-social issues we thought were resolved.

"There are plenty of take-aways available locally that are not near people's homes and also deliver.

"The shop opening until late will do nothing but bring back all the issues we considered closed and cause problems for the police again."

Another local resident, living in Wincobank Avenue, said in their letter of objection to Sheffield Council's licensing department: "This area has a history of anti-social behaviour from groups of youths, with regular police activity required to disperse them.

"From experience we have every reason to believe that, should the business be permitted to open until midnight, these problems will increase.

"We therefore ask that the application be declined."

Another objector, a resident of Newman Road, said: "For the good of the whole residential area this licensing application must be denied.

"The trouble and grief it will cause many people must be taken into account.

"There are a number of new homes being built in the area and the sight of litter-filled streets and gangs of youths hanging around outside a fast-food takeaway will do nothing but harm, rather than improve, the state of the area."

But sandwich shop owner Idris Elmazghi, who is applying for the licence, said he was keen to reassure his neighbours that extending the opening hours of his business would not create any more problems with anti-social behaviour in the area.

Mr Elmazghi said: "This part of Wincobank is a very quiet area. Three years ago or so there was a lot of trouble, but now it's fine – it's a good area.

"Next door to my shop there's a newsagents which is open until 11pm and there's no problems there, so why would my shop opening late cause any problems?"

The decision as to whether the new licence is granted will be made at a meeting of the council's licensing committee next Tuesday at 10am at Sheffield Town Hall.