A supermarket chain's bid to extend the time deliveries can be made to its Altrincham store and warehouse looks set to be approved, despite objections from neighbouring residents. Waitrose has applied for a change to planning conditions on its Draybank Road, Timperley store for deliveries and waste collections to be allowed between 7am and 10pm, instead of 9pm.
But people living near the store have complained of waste truck reversing alarms sounds outside the restricted hours - like 5.55am on March 29. One resident of 10 objecting to the relaxing of restrictions said the trolley/cage noise started at 7am every day "on the dot" and "wakes both myself and my son, continuing until 10pm at night".
Meanwhile, Waitrose is offering to fit silent castors on the dollies used for home delivery and collection. Councillors on Trafford's planning and development management committee meeting are being advised by their officers to approve the change when they meet on Thursday (September 8).
The resident, who lives in an apartment nearby, said mobile tyre repair and air conditioning repair vans are often in attendance at the store, completing service and maintenance of Waitrose delivery vans.
He goes on: "Can't this be done elsewhere? Is it permitted? A pneumatic tyre gun isn't something you can drown out of indeed mechanics chatting, smoking and swearing under your window."
Altrincham and Bowdon Civic Society has also objected, saying that local residents are affected by lorries visiting the site as well as customers by car.
The recommendation to approve the application is conditional on the site a "noise mitigation scheme" and a "noise management plan".
In a covering letter to Trafford's planners, representatives of Waitrose - First Plan - said: "The Government has been clear about the support that should be afforded to businesses in order to maintain food supplies.
"Waitrose is susceptible to changing market conditions and, as such, it is imperative that its business operations are not jeopardised through overly restrictive conditions."
It said that since the current permission was granted in March 2021, pressure on logistics chains across the country has intensified to the extent that the ability of food retailers to keep their stores fully stocked had been impaired.
"It is important that Waitrose is not so restricted by existing planning conditions, such that its ability to innovate, trade effectively and meet the reasonable needs of customers is undermined," it said. "The home delivery service is important to Waitrose's customers, particularly vulnerable members of society."
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