Plans to transform part of a snooker car park into a hand car wash have attracted opposition from residents and councillors.

The change of use application for the land belonging to West End Cue Club off West End in Costessey has been submitted to South Norfolk Council by Miri Kaceli.

Mr Kaceli, 33, from Hellesdon in Norwich, has run a hand car wash on Guardian Road in Norwich for the past three years, and said the Costessey site would be a 'small and properly run business' employing about three people.

Owner of the West End Cue Club, David Thomson, was 'open-minded' about the application.

He confirmed a car wash would not impact on its car parking spaces and was not concerned about extra traffic as West End was already a busy road.

Costessey Town Council has objected because of over commercialisation of the site; the car wash would be detrimental to nearby local facilities; and potential problems from traffic congestion on West End after the Norwich Northern Distributor Road opens.

Patrick O'Connor, Costessey Town Council chairman, said: 'We are concerned about traffic.'

He added councillors and some residents were also worried about the impact on the environment and River Wensum from the car wash.

Nigel Reed, who owns the Wensum Motors garage next door to the snooker club car park, wrote on the district council's planning website: 'I think it [the car wash] will be detrimental to the village as traffic and parking is already a problem. I run the garage next door and have refused to allow a car wash here due to these reasons.'

If approved, the car wash and temporary building would be built away from the road and operate 8am-6pm Monday to Friday, according to Mr Kaceli.

It would be up and running within a month.

Mr Kaceli said: 'I understand people's points of view but we are not going to run a big car wash business. I don't think it will make a difference to traffic in the area as I'm targeting customers who are already in Costessey. There won't be any environmental issues because the drains will be done properly. If the application goes ahead everything will be done by the law.'

There are already five other car washes in Costessey.