Supermarket bosses' bid to change opening hours of new Nuneaton store

[dutchman]

Superstore bosses want to change Bank Holiday opening hours and delivery to its new store in Nuneaton.



Chiefs at Lidl have applied for permission to change the approved opening hours and hours of delivery/servicing for its planned new store at Rylands Nuneaton on Hinckley Road.

As reported by the News, Lidl was given permission to build a store on the former Allen Ford site last year but with the opening hours on Bank Holidays of 10am to 4pm, and the approved deliveries/servicing for Bank Holidays from 9am until until 4pm.

However, they want to change them to having the store open to the public between 7am and 10pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 4pm Sundays and Bank Holidays, mo deliveries/servicing, including refuse collection, shall be carried out other than between 7am and 10pm Monday to Saturday and 9am and 4pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays. Notwithstanding this, no more than two deliveries shall be carried out each day.

The proposals have been met with opposition from the community with one objection and a petition signed by 30 people which states that, Under the Human Rights Act 1988 Article 8, 'we are entitled to "the right to respect private and family life" – Variation to the current planning approval contravenes this Act which is unlawful.

The agent for Lidl has, in its supporting letter, that Bank Holidays are not restricted by the council for the recently consented Aldi store at nearby Weddington

Road or the existing Asda in the town centre. It says that the proposed new Aldi store is set substantially further away from residential properties with no gardens bordering the site and set within other commercial businesses.

Council environmental health officers originally objected to the application due to concerns about noise so Lidl chose to arrange for a Noise Impact Assessment to be carried out on a Bank Holiday to see whether there was a difference in existing noise between weekdays and Bank Holidays. This assessment was carried out on Monday, August 29 and concluded that Sundays were more critical for noise impact than on the recorded Bank Holiday.

It considered that the existing general ambient noise would provide a degree of masking for noise generated by the store, and concurred that : "Predicted noise levels for delivery vehicle movement and the customer car park are below the lowest background sound levels that occur on Bank Holidays at adjacent residential premises."

This led to environmental health officers withdrawing the objection and planning officers are recommending that the application be given the green light.

In a report to members of the Town Hall's planning committee, who will meet on Tuesday (October 11), it states: "The Bank Holiday Noise Assessment illustrates that the noise for the one Bank Holiday measured, shows that noise sensitivity in this area is less than previously expected and it is concluded that there is no evidence to justify refusal in terms of the impact of operational noise on a Bank Holiday (when more residents are likely to be at home).

"Having regard to the pattern of existing development in the area, relevant provisions of the development plan, and the consultation responses received, it is considered that subject to compliance with the conditions, the proposed development would be in accordance with the development plan, would not materially harm the character or appearance of the area or the living conditions of neighbouring occupiers and would be acceptable in terms of traffic safety and convenience."

Councillors will have the final say when they meet at 5pm to discuss the application.

• Allen Ford, which currently operates from the Rylands site, is relocating to a new, state of the art facility on Hamilton Way.