A special site meeting yesterday (Monday) looks like resolving potential complaints of noise nuisance from neighbours, when Morrisons opens its new convenience store in Marlborough.
The project team for the supermarket chain met town councillors who were aware that residents living behind the site had suffered inconvenience when the High Street site, in the heart of a conservation area, was a Marks and Spencer food store.
The residents had sent letters of protest to Wiltshire Council planners pointing out that special conditions had been attached to the Marks and Spencer planning consent and they wanted to know what action would be taken now.
The discussions on site were on Monday night’s agenda at the town council’s planning committee, which was attended by four of the residents.
“Everyone welcomed the fact that Morrisons are coming to Marlborough,” town clerk, Shelley Parker, told Marlborough News Online.
“The planning application was supported subject to Morrisons’ written assurances that concerns over refrigeration and air conditioning had been addressed and resolved.
“A number of councillors went to the site meeting with the project management team and they were shown the positions of the new refrigeration and air-conditioning plants.
“Technology has advanced quite a lot since M&S’s day.”
Wiltshire’s environmental officers are aware of the situation and will be reporting to the Council’s Eastern Area Planning Committee when it considers Morrisons’ applications — also for new signage — in September.
Morrisons nevertheless want to open the new convenience store before then.
“They have the right to do so,” Nick Fogg, one of Marlborough’s councillors on the unitary authority, told Marlborough News Online. “If their planning applications are turned down, they can always appeal. I am hopeful that Morrisons will be able to solve these noise nuisance concerns.”
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