A supermarket’s desire to increase delivery hours in Portishead has been rejected, with councillors saying allowing early-morning and late-night lorries would ‘run roughshod’ over a generation of promises.

Aldi in Wyndham Way – for a third time in as many years – sought planning permission from North Somerset Council to alter the hours of delivery.

Since it opened the store, it has been limited to delivering goods between 7am-9pm and the company wanted an hour extra at the start and end of the day to unload items Monday to Saturday.

David Williams, a planning expert on behalf of Aldi, said the current regulations left the company at a disadvantage to other retailers and meant sometimes shelves were being restocked when customers had already entered the store.

However, amid fears of disruption to the local community, the council’s planning committee voted against Aldi’s request when it met on September 13.

Cllr Reyna Knight led the opposition, saying the location did not suit heavy goods vehicles manoeuvring at unsociable hours.

She said: “This site is surrounded by houses which were there long before the store was built.”

Co-op used to run a store on the same site after public playing fields were sold off for development about 30 years ago.

Cllr Peter Burden said promises made then that noise levels would be kept to a minimum ought to be kept.

He said: “I think it will be a kick in the teeth for people who were given a pledge.

“It’s unreasonable to expect local people in an otherwise predominantly residential

area to put up with loading prior to 7am.

“This (idea) is running roughshod over people who were given promises by this council and the town council.”

Aldi promised to limit deliveries between 6-7am and 9-10pm to a single lorry and Cllr Elfan Ap Rees called for the firm to be granted an effective 12-month trial of the extended hours.

He said Aldi could then apply for a permanent extension and the council would be able to review any noise complaints it had received over the previous year.

However, his suggestion was voted down by his fellow committee members.