North Finchley residents are delighted that Waitrose's proposal to extend deliveries to seven days a week has been thwarted.

Owners of the supermarket, John Lewis Partnership, had requested two deliveries should be made between 10am and 5pm on Sundays and bank and public holidays. But there were concerns from residents at the level of noise and disturbance already coming from deliveries to the supermarket in Ballards Lane from Monday to Saturday.

Councillors threw out the planning application after a 51-signature petition was sent to Barnet Council in advance of Tuesday's Finchley and Golders Green planning meeting.

A Hutton Grove resident, who did not wish to be named, said: "There was already a juggernaut unloading at 6.50am the other morning and they are not supposed to until 7.30am so to have that problem on Sundays and public and bank holidays would be too much. I think we need a bit of peace and quiet."

Hampstead Garden Suburb councillor John Marshall said: "The application was thrown out on the grounds that 10am is far too early to start deliveries because a lot of people are in bed at that time. Why should they be woken up by articulated lorries?

"Residents have a right to not suffer on at least one day a week."

Waitrose were not available to comment.

October 31, 2001 17:41