Cobham’s Ivy Brasserie has been granted permission to extend its outdoor seating area into a public park.

The restaurant, which is in a Grade II listed building with council-owned land behind that backs on to the River Mole, had an application approved to seat another 30 diners outside.

Councillors on Elmbridge Borough Council’s planning committee approved the application on Wednesday (June 21) for the restaurant, in the High Street, situated in a 17th century building formerly known as the Old Cottage.

A new timber decking area will seat diners and will be accessible to the public when the restaurant is not open, with a new five-year lease having being granted separately.

Councillor Ananya Banerjee (Conservative, Oatlands and Burwood Park) raised concerns about the patio being open to the public, as part of the lease agreement.

She said: “I’m actually quite worried about that, if you’re saying the patio is open and without any management, would that not lead to vandalism?”

Officers confirmed the lease, planning and licensing matters were all separate issues to be dealt with by different council departments.

An application document submitted to the council said: “The proposals have been carefully designed to respond to the character and appearance of the host building and surrounding area.

“The proposal has been designed as a natural extension to the existing area, retaining the square form and utilising appropriate timber materials, whilst still preserving the openness of the rear of the site and without encroaching into the river scape.”

Watch the planning committee meeting back here.