CONCERNS about delivery times and noise have been raised against proposals to open an Aldi store in Portishead.

The supermarket firm has applied to make changes at the former Co-Operative store building in Wyndham Way (pictured), which it took over in February, in the hope of opening the new outlet ‘within months’.

A planning application submitted to North Somerset Council was discussed at a meeting of Portishead Town Council’s planning committee on April 1, which was attended by Aldi’s planning consultant Alan Williams.

He said: “Aldi has been looking for a site in Portishead for some time.

“If planning permission is granted, Aldi wants to get started straight away. So the opening of the store could be within a matter of months.”

The proposals include re-rendering the outside of the building and re-configuring the car park to create an extra seven spaces.

Aldi also plans to reduce the size of the service yard by knocking down an external wall and installing a scissor lift to transfer goods into the building.

However, this will mean lorries reversing the length of the car park to reach the lift, a fact which caused councillors concern. They were also concerned about the proposed delivery times, which are expected to be at about 7am and 11pm.

The store will be open from 8am-10pm Mondays to Saturdays and from 10am-4pm on Sundays.

Cllr Marilyn Koops said: “My biggest worry is the lorry delivery through the car park. I have huge concerns this will be a huge hazard.”

Cllr Lesley Cottrell said: “The noise of the lorry reversing will be very annoying for people living nearby.

“There will probably lots more noise for residents as a consequence of removing the walls.”

Following the discussions the committee decided the application should also be assessed by the full town council at a meeting tonight (Wednesday) before a formal recommendation is submitted to North Somerset Council.

Research will also be carried out into whether the service yard wall was installed as part of the planning permission granted in the 1980s for the development to protect residents from noise.