Confusion and controversy continues to surround a popular wedding venue in Ravensthorpe.

People living close to the Grand Banqueting Suite, on Huddersfield Road, claim the owners have converted a cellar area into an underground kitchen to allow food to be cooked on site. Currently food is prepared at a different location.

But the allegation has been dismissed by a spokesman for the banqueting suite, who says no such building work has been proposed.

The claim follows a move by Kirklees Council to extend a consultation period allowing local residents and businesses to have their say on plans for extended opening hours and the almost doubling of parking spaces on the former Ravensthorpe Working Men’s Club, which closed in 2010.

There has been concern that people living close to the banqueting suite do not know enough about the plans and had not been given sufficient time to respond. The period of consultation was extended twice.

Campaigner Basharat Rafiq claims a “massive” development has taken place involving the transformation of a cellar into an underground kitchen. He has described it as “a Mickey Mouse DIY job” that has blocked fire exits.

He says the matter is now the subject of a formal complaint to Kirklees Council and is being investigated by both enforcement officers and building control.

A spokesman for the Grand Banqueting Suite said he was “not aware of any underground kitchen” proposed or that had been created.

“The floor plans and elevation plans submitted as part of this application are of what has already been approved under a previous application. There is no new development proposed other than the extended opening hours and the additional car parking,” he added.

The owners have asked to open seven days a week, including on bank holidays, from 11am to 11pm. Currently it opens from noon to 4pm on weekends only.

Local residents have complained about extra traffic, on-street parking, late-night noise and fireworks during wedding celebrations. The site can cater for up to 1,400 guests who often parade to the venue in expensive ‘super cars’ such as Lamborghinis that cause surrounding streets and the main A644 road between Mirfield and Dewsbury to become clogged.

Owner Ashiq Hussain has spent thousands renovating for former derelict working men’s club and bowling green into the opulent banqueting space. He describes the decor as “tasteful bling”.

“We have the stage and the chandeliers and there’s a real ‘wow’ factor,” he said last year.