Neighbours have hit out at controversial plans for a new restaurant with a late-night alcohol licence over fears over noise and drunken behaviour.

Owners of the recently-closed Il Bacio Cicchetti in Queens Road, Buckhurst Hill, want to relaunch the Italian restaurant under the name Il Bacio Caves.

If plans are approved by Epping Forest Council’s licensing committee at a meeting this week, the business could be given permission to serve alcohol until 11pm every day.

The restaurant also wants to be able to stage live music performances, as well as play recorded music inside the building.

However, the plans have been met with fury from nearby residents, who have claimed their neighbourhood will suffer noise from punters leaving the building late at night.

Others have expressed fears the granting of the licence could lead to “crime and disorder” in the area, as well as antisocial behaviour.

In a letter of objection to the council, nearby resident David Wilson said he feared noise from the restaurant would keep his young daughter up at night.

Mr Wilson wrote: “As residents we have a right to the quiet enjoyment of our properties and it is clear that this would be seriously disrupted by the extended hours and music license.

“The prospect of our child being disturbed by noise, looking out at these scenes late into the night and being stared back at by loitering smokers is extremely worrying.

“A late night drinking establishment would change the character of the neighbourhood for the worse and gradually open the door to late night drinking all along the road in future.”

While trading under the Il Bacio Cicchetti name, the business was subject to 12 official complaints from the public over alleged breaches of its licence between December 2013 and December 2015.

Complaints included claims the restaurant was staying open past its licenced closing time of 11pm and late noise in the property’s garden.

The council’s licensing committee will decide whether to approve Il Bacio Caves’ licence application at a meeting tomorrow morning (Tuesday, August 15).