Marks and Spencer’s request to change delivery times at its Newport store have been thrown out by the Isle of Wight Council.
The planning committee this week decided nearby residents of Medina Avenue would have their quality of life adversely affected if the changes went ahead.
The store was asking to move forward the time it could allow lorries to unload their deliveries in its yard, on Sundays and bank holidays, from 10:00 to 08:00. Marks and Spencer say the change would allow it to have stocked shelves when it opens its doors on Sunday which it says is critical to the success of its food business.
One resident, who has lived on the road before the store was even built in 1993, told the committee they had not experienced the levels of noise and disruption they have in their homes, and only get 2 days a year respite from the noise pollution — Christmas Day and Easter Sunday. They said:
“To coin a phrase … what we have to put up with it’s not just noise, it’s M&S noise”.
Enforcement action is already being taken against the supermarket giant due to alleged breaches of their delivery times on Sundays and bank holidays.
Planning officers, however, recommended the application be approved, saying the change would be relatively modest and may result in an improved situation, stopping vehicles idling in the street.
Councillor Vix Lowthion, of Newport and Carisbrooke Community Council, said a balance must be sought between ensuring quality of life for residents and building the town’s economy. Cllr Lowthion highlighted M&S, who were not represented at the meeting, previously tried, in 2007 and earlier this year, to vary the times deliveries were accepted but were both rejected. She said nothing had changed in terms of the needs of residents to have a reasonable quality of life.
Committee member Councillor Vanessa Churchman said Medina Avenue residents have to accept economic development but people’s lives were more important than M&S making more money.
Councillor Matt Price said the retail chain could have come forward with measures to make these changes acceptable for residents, which would help with their deliveries but it was a shame they had not.
The variation was overwhelmingly rejected by the committee by 9 votes to 1.
“Stocked shelves on a Sunday critical to the the success of the food business”
Horsesh*t. Of course it isn’t. There are 6 other shopping days and if they cannot get their logistics correct to ensure sufficient stock for a Sunday then they have no business doing what they do. Another megacorp just wanting what they want for their own arrogant convenience and f**k everybody else. The whole store is a dowdy disgrace of deeply unappealing fashion as well BTW.
Must be someone with a bit of clout who lives there.
Try living next to a school that’s open 7 days a week. Early morning and late night disturbances from all manner of vehicles, crashing through gates without a care for who lives next to them. I’d take M&S any day.
8:00 isn’t exactly early I guess a councillor must live opposite
So open the store 1 hr later…
What’s wrong with people, how is 8am to early – will effect quality of life having to listen to arguing neighbors at midnight effects quality of life . What a waste of your prescious life on earth – sleeping in bed during the day. Maybe M&S will close down and reopen as Ice Rink, Night club etc or rebuilt as flats for social housing. Residents are creating problems for them selves. I would rather have lorry clatter than drunks/druggies etc
This has to be a joke,theres motorbikes and cars roaring up and down medina avenue from 6am even on sundays,the council are clueless.
Obviously no brown envelopes !
About time people need to realise 24 / 7 is the new norm and M and S is needed on the island as they are 1 of the stores that plays an essential part of Newport .
Not much else worth going to in Newport !!!!!!
Used to be field near there on the side of football pitch where fun fair set up on corner of church litten was the corona warehouse where m&s is I’m sure there was something to do with building materials, so that area has always been industrial and noisy since I was a school kid so from about 1960s
Think the building supplies firm was Dibbens
I think we should be thinking about the bigger picture here I’m sure M&S Newport is heavily subsidised by their much larger stores on the mainland. We should be bending over backwards to keep them here we have already lost BHS, Evans, Monsoon, Laura Ashley, Burtons, Topman and Topshop, Dorothy Perkins to name but a few shops. Newport our County Town will soon have little to offer local people or visitors.
Its a wonder they have not moaned about the ringing of church bells
Try living next door to the Royal Mail delivery office in Sandown, 4am-6pm.
They don’t even try to pretend to be quite, exact opposite in fact !