Tesco Application to do 24/7 Deliveries Looks Like Stalling

Tesco Henley has applied to SODC to remove a condition that currently limits deliveries to the store between 6am and 11pm.  In the Tesco application it said, “The timing of deliveries is important to ensure that movement of goods, staff and customers through the store is optimised.The removal of the condition to allow unrestricted deliveries on a daily basis would give Tesco the flexibility in servicing the store and thereby enhance customer satisfaction due to less congestion on the shop floor.”

Initially Oxfordshire County Council gave no objection.  However, this week County Councillor for Henley, David Nimmo Smith wrote to Oxfordshire County Council saying:

“I am disappointed that, as the local Member, I was not consulted about this.  I think that your reason for no objection – that the application for the store was granted on appeal – is spurious.  You make no reference to the possibility that delivery vehicles will be able to travel on the residential roads of Henley 24/7.  You will be aware that OCC is, through LTP4 and other routes, looking at ways of reducing lorries and HGVs through Henley and other market towns in Oxfordshire.  This aim has the full support of me and my fellow Cabinet members.  Allowing additional lorries and HGVs during the quiet of the night flies in the face of that.  Residents of Oxfordshire are right to expect that their County Council will not make sleeping any worse.  I ask you to reconsider your response.”

David Fettes from OCC then replied, “Thank you for your comments and on further research I have revised my comments to one of refusal. Thank you for your input on this application and welcome any future local knowledge you may have.”

At the Henley Town Council Planning Meeting on Tuesday, the Committee turned down the application to approve unrestricted deliveries.  Chairman of the Committee, Councillor Dieter Hinke said, “It’s up to SODC to support us now on this.”