A supermarket giant on the Isle of Wight will not be allowed to continue round-the-clock deliveries to its Newport hub.
It’s after nearby residents slammed Sainsbury’s, on Foxes Road, for being an ‘awful neighbour’.
Large lorries waited hours outside properties
They said it restricted their quality of life as large lorries waited for hours outside their properties with the engines on.
During the Covid-19 pandemic and then for a 12-month trial run, the supermarket was allowed to have lorries deliver goods 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Permanent delivery hours
It was seeking permission to make the delivery hours permanent, so items could be restocked overnight.
Rejecting the application, the Isle of Wight Council said any permanent change would result in a noise disturbance to local residents, having a serious and adverse effect on their health and quality of life.
New delivery hours
The council decided the original delivery hours would not prevent stock being replenished.
Hours of delivery will now be between 5.30am and 11.30pm, Mondays to Saturdays, and 8am to 11pm on Sundays or Bank Holidays.
Alder King Planning Consultants, on behalf of the supermarket giant, said the council had not received any complaints relating to the overnight deliveries.
A number of neighbours objected to the supermarket’s application.
“A constant annoyance”
A resident who has lived across from it for ten years said the deliveries had been a constant annoyance with “massive lorries running at all times of the day and night”.
They said,
“Sainsbury’s are awful neighbours, despite their community-centred advertising and should be kept on a tight leash for the sake of the health and wellbeing of the local residents.”
Another said the store had no respect for people living nearby.
“Not easy to get the peace and quiet we all need”
They claimed they had tried to raise complaints in person, over the phone and via email, but with no answer.
One person said,
“It is not easy to get the peace and quiet we all need when living next to a major supermarket, so to have noise outside of opening hours is both distressing and unnecessary.”
Economic benefit balanced against impact on residents
Isle of Wight council planning officers acknowledged there may be slight economic benefit in allowing 24-hour deliveries, but added that it must be balanced against the impact on residents, including the over 55s development opposite the loading bay.
The environmental health department confirmed it had had no complaints about the deliveries, but that did not mean the night-time deliveries were acceptable.
Sainsbury’s has been approached for comment.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
Image: vagueonthehow under CC BY 2.0
