NEWS that Tesco is opening a store in Southwold has been warmly welcomed by locals, but the supermarket giant’s planning application is coming under fire.

The major of Southwold said that certain elements of the Tesco Express application, which seeks permission to alter shop frontage of the empty premise in Queen Street, to install signage and air conditioning units, were “undesirable”.

Southwold Town Council, which met to discuss the plan earlier this week, has recommended that Waveney District Council refuses two parts of the application, namely the installation of illuminated signs and roof mounted air conditioning units.

The council believes the signs would not suit the character of the popular coastal town while the air-con units, which could potentially be turned on from 7am to 11pm every day, would make too much noise in the evening.

Mayor John Windell said: “I think we are all mostly satisfied with a Tesco Express opening in the centre of town.

“What we have refused is permission for illuminated signage and we’ve refused it because it simply won’t fit in with the rest of the town.

“Just look at the High Street and you’ll see that we don’t have neon signs and spotlights. “

The council is also concerned that the air conditioning units would result in noise pollution.

Data provided by Tesco to Waveney as part of the planning application claims the noise would not be significant enough to warrant concern, but one resident is not convinced by the results of the independent survey.

Jayne Martin, of Pinkneys Lane, Southwold, said: “There are many homes and holiday homes in close proximity to the store, the occupants of which will quite probably hear the three powerful air conditioning units - and the massive refrigeration unit, which will be whirring away 24 hours a day.

Ms Martin agrees with many traders and residents that the town is big enough to sustain a second supermarket, but is suspicious of the noise pollution survey that suggests there was more night time background noise level in Southwold than city locations such as Bristol and Cambridge.

“I wish they would look at Southwold high street and see an opportunity to open a Tesco Express that is unique and fitting,” she said.

No one from Tesco was available to comment.