Plans for a £250,000 restaurant extension in Shipley have been approved by Bradford Council officials.

Shipley Area Planning Panel said yes to the development of the Aagrah restaurant, in Saltaire Road, at its meeting yesterday.

Mohammed Aslam, managing director of the restaurant chain, put forward the proposals which include a first-floor extension to provide a second dining room and kitchen.

About 15 jobs will be created and a further 110 diners will be able to eat in the restaurant - almost double the present number.

Today Mr Aslam said: "I'm very pleased with this decision because instead of investing somewhere else we can invest here. There is great potential here in Shipley and the Aagrah has proved that."

Mr Aslam said the extension would serve as a "classy buffet room".

"We are planning to serve different varieties of food in there including Thai, Persian, Chinese and maybe even English," he said.

And he promised the Aagrah's famous model elephant, which sits on the roof where the extension will be built, would be staying on the premises.

"This is the head office and I can reassure people we will not be losing our elephant," he said.

The panel approved the plans after deferring a decision at an earlier hearing when members were advised by council officers to refuse permission because of lack of parking.

Planning officers had warned making the restaurant bigger could cause safety problems but yesterday the panel was told of steps the restaurant had taken to address the issue. These included:

l employing a full-time uniformed attendant to direct customers to available on-site parking or a nearby car park

l painting entrance and exit markers on the ground at the restaurant's two access points

l reaching an agreement with a neighbouring motorcycle showroom to allow parking in the evenings on the forecourt

l carrying out a survey of Shipley car parks to highlight the number of spaces available for diners on an evening.

The panel said the restaurant should continue the measures and also erect entrance and exit signs on clearly visible posts.