Residents and the Richmond Society are fighting plans to put a new floor and open air restaurant on the rooftop of the long closed House of Fraser department store.

Critics argue the scheme would create noise and disturbance to people living around Richmond Green, which has seen a rise in the number of people and antisocial behaviour since the pandemic.

There are also concerns that it will harm the view from neighbouring conservation areas, while increasing visitors and traffic to the area.

The iconic building, which first opened in 1968 as Dickins and Jones, was closed in September 2020 and has been stripped out and sitting empty ever since.

The was initially bought by investment firm Canadian and Arcadia, who won planning permission for a multi-million-pound retail, office and leisure complex.

There were suggestions that retailers, such as Marks & Spencer and Sports Direct, might move in. But the scheme failed and the building was put up for sale.

It was subsequently bought by Sheen Lane Developments in partnership with Israeli investors and they have submitted a fresh planning application.

The main changes include works to the put a new restaurant with some open-air terraces on the roof together with plans for a new private gym and swimming pool in the basement.

The company argues the site provides 'an exciting opportunity to modernise and rejuvenate a long-vacant building' to meet modern requirements.

And the company said it has had interest from high-end restaurants, retail and leisure venues.

However, some residents have written to Richmond Council hitting out at the plans, specifically raising concerns about the extra floor and the possibility of new restaurants in the busy town centre.

They said they are already disturbed by noisy groups late at night on nearby Richmond Green at night and they fear any new restaurants will make this worse.

The Richmond Society complained: "The new application proposes 5 doors onto the 2 metre wide terrace of the new fourth floor.

"If access is permitted to patrons of a restaurant the potential noise resulting especially late at night could be very intrusive to the residents nearby."

It also argued there would be increased light pollution from the restaurant, plus an increase in traffic linked to use of the building at night.

The Friends of Richmond Green, who represent over 300 people living around the historic green space, also objected to the noise and argued the new restaurant terraces would harm views in a sensitive location, which spans important conservation areas.

Resident Andrew Morgan said increasing the building's height would have a 'totally unacceptable impact' on the historic area.

He added: 'Since the relaxation of regulations and encouragement of the use of outside spaces for eating and drinking, the Green has suffered from a significant increase in noise pollution from crowds of people outside the pubs nearest to Paved Court.

'Over the past two years, the Green as a whole has seen much higher levels of noise pollution and bad behaviour. The last thing we need is a noisy roof terrace perched high above that corner of the Green.'

Elizabeth Pryce also said disturbance on the Green had increased since the pandemic began.

She said: 'We are already subject to significant threat and noise disturbance from large gatherings, pubs and restaurants and traffic, both from those enjoying Richmond amenities and those on bikes and in cars racing around the Green in the small hours, and believe that the outside eating area at height will only increase this.'