The owner of a Chinese restaurant says she isn’t going anywhere despite plans to turn part of her building into flats.

Ada Chen has been running the Dinner House in Dover Street, Sittingbourne, for the past two decades.

She opened the restaurant in 2005 when she was 42.

Now aged 61, she believes her decision to turn part of the site into accommodation will give her stability for the future.

“My customers are now like my friends and family. I want to keep seeing them,” she explained.

“Last year, I did think about closing. However, one day when I retire, I hope that my two children will carry on this business to keep serving everyone.

“I am passionate about my job. It’s not about the money, but I need to enjoy my life. Even when I am old, I still want to come and help here.

“The restaurant itself is like my children – it has grown with me.”

In September, she submitted designs to Swale council for approval.

The plans are for a change of use to a “mixed” building, where it would still operate as a takeaway but would have an extra five flats.

The sit-in side of the restaurant on the ground floor would be redeveloped into living space, as would a second-floor extension.

It would bring the total number of apartments to 10, as there are already five on the upper floors.

Ada told KentOnline: “I want to keep part of my business so I can still serve my regular customers.

“All my children have grown up, and my granddaughter lives with me, but she is off to university next year.

“I don’t want to be bored at home, I want to keep working."

To accommodate the apartments, part of the restaurant where customers would usually sit to eat would be redeveloped.

The application explained: “The lower-ground floor remains as existing, functioning as a store room for the restaurant kitchen.

“The ground floor comprises a takeaway restaurant and associated kitchen to the east, and two one-bedroom apartments to the west.

“The first floor comprises four one-bedroom apartments, three of which are accessed from the shared communal entrance to the west, and the other from the northern entrance.

“The second floor comprises three one-bedroom apartments and one two-bedroom apartment.”

Several factors have contributed to the mum-of-two making her decision.

The restaurant has previously been vandalised during a spate of antisocial behaviour between 2022 and 2023.

To see more planning applications and other public notices for your area, click here.

Stones have been thrown at windows, doors were kicked, and Ada claims she faced verbal abuse.

“It wasn’t just one day; it happened regularly," she said.

“After school, around 4pm, a group of teenagers would gather outside the front of my shop, or someone would just walk past and hit something.

“My customers were scared to enter. It made me really crazy – I couldn't go to sleep in the evening.”

Despite the number of incidents decreasing, she had to spend thousands of pounds fixing and replacing the damaged areas.

Double yellow lines were painted outside the front of the building, which caused further problems.

Ada says takeaway drivers struggle to pull up and go inside to get orders due to fears of being fined.

Opposite, Spring Street Car Park charges from 7am to 10pm throughout the week and on bank holidays.

This means customers who want to sit in have to fork out extra for a meal.

In the planning submission, no parking for the flats has been proposed, but it is argued that the "sustainable location and transport links," close to the railway station and town centre will help.

There would also be redesigned entrances, new windows and solar panels added.

It added: “Sound reduction measures will be taken to ensure that any noise pollution from the commercial takeaway on the ground floor will not impact the surrounding residential units.”

The plans are yet to be discussed by the council.