A NEW restaurant set to open its doors in Winchester High Street later this year is asking planners for permission to extend its opening times.

Pegasus Group, on behalf of The Ivy, has submitted a planning application with the city council to open half an hour later after it was granted its licence.

The restaurant, which will open at 103-104 High Street in the vacant former L.K. Bennett unit, had been granted planning permission to open between 8am and midnight Monday to Thursday, to 1am on Friday and Saturday, and 11pm on Sunday.

However, the restaurants owner are seeking permission to add half an hour to each day, except for Sunday where they plan to open an hour and a half later, till 12.30am.

Katie Priest, of Pegasus Group, said in a planning statement: "Email correspondence with Robert Green from Winchester City Council on this issue indicates that the council would be amenable to this alteration."

The applicant is also seeking to change the permissions for the plant layout on the restaurant's roof.

A decision is expect in early May.