Residents hit out at Tesco in noise row

RESIDENTS in a Sheffield suburb have condemned supermarket giant Tesco for ruining their quality of life with disruptive delivery lorries. People living near the Tesco Express store on Abbeydale Road South at Totley Rise say the store has blighted their life with huge, noisy lorries often clogging up local streets.It comes as councillors at Sheffield Council agreed to allow the store to receive deliveries on Sundays and Bank Holidays. Under the terms of the store's original planning consent deliveries on Sundays and Bank Holiday were prohibited - to allow locals to have some peace and quiet. But the store argued it had to have deliveries on these days too to keep it well stocked. The move was opposed by Sheffield Hallam MP and Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, a 173-name petition and the council received 55 letters of objection. Brian Stubbs, aged 61, of Devonshire Road, who lives around the corner from the store, told the meeting: "Tesco seems to be like a magnet. It is almost like they are giving food away free. People come from all around."Planning officer Chris Heeley said the suggested changes were a "reasonable compromise". But the meeting's chairman suggested amending the proposed changes to 10.30am to 6.30pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays, with Monday to Saturday deliveries as originally proposed, and the suggestion was carried. Mr Stubbs condemned the decision and said: "Who will police this? Tesco just do what they like."It is not just about the noise of deliveries, it is about parking. People park on double yellow lines, on verges, but when the big delivery lorries are there it is just much, much worse."Neighbour Ian Cockburn, 60, also of Devonshire Road, added: "Tesco has dramatically altered our quality of life. It's pathetic."