PLANS to moor a 60-seat floating restaurant at Ely s riverside may be dead in the water after the planning application was withdrawn. Residents at the waterfront are elated after the bitterly opposed plans to moor a converted 20m Dutch barge at the river

PLANS to moor a 60-seat floating restaurant at Ely's riverside may be dead in the water after the planning application was withdrawn.

Residents at the waterfront are elated after the bitterly opposed plans to moor a converted 20m Dutch barge at the river were abandoned.

The restaurant, which was to be open from 10am-10pm daily, prompted fierce criticism from residents, who feared that noise and foot traffic through the area would devalue property.

Waterside resident Patricia Beattie was so incensed she organised a petition, which was submitted to the district council.

Mrs Beattie welcomed the news that the application had been withdrawn.

"This was not a sound business plan and with only one exception, everybody I spoke to was up in arms about it - I hope the right decision has been made here."

She said residents have been concerned that the boat would attract anti-social behaviour.

The application enraged Ely businesses, who say the riverside is reaching capacity.

Steve Haslam of The Cutter Inn cautiously welcomed the news.

"If these proposals are gone for good, then it is fantastic news for Ely's waterfront," he said.

"It would have been complete overkill for the area, and so this is good news for residents, good news for boaters and good news for the businesses here."

The district council confirmed that the application had been withdrawn, but said the applicants were not obligated to provide a reason.

However, Lilija Povepaiko and Arturas Tamosaitis, the couple who originally submitted the proposal, have indicated to the Ely Standard that they may re-submit an application in the future.