Stirchley families object to request from Go Puff to expand delivery operations

A Stirchley family say they are considering moving out of the area because of the ’24/7 disruption’ caused by a business park.

And they have urged the council not to grant a new alcohol licence to one of the delivery companies operating nearby, describing the current disruption to their lives as ‘unbearable’.

Resident Mr Tom Cronin, who lives on Clonmel Road in Stirchley, was speaking at a licensing application meeting for Go Puff, which wants to be able to expand delivery operations to operate 24/7 and sell alcohol.

The business, which operates as a grocery delivery service, is currently located at the business park at the end of Clonmel Road.

Go Puff’s application was met with several objections from local residents when it was submitted, with fears that the noise, pollution and disruption from 24/7 deliveries would be too much for nearby households and families to handle.

What are the issues being faced by the Stirchley residents in their own words?

Speaking at the meeting on Monday December 6, Mr Cronin outlined the issues his and other families have had to deal with since the business park became operational.

“More alcohol is going to mean more deliveries, and bigger deliveries,” he said.

“We already have many, many HGVs coming up our road that are too big for it. And the noise, the nuisance, the pollution, it’s really affecting us.

“We have to move our vehicles on a daily basis for these lorries. I invite you to come down and have a look. 24 hours, seven days a week – you’re putting a sentence on us here, really. “We were mis-sold this. We were told this would be for local businesses, not multi-billion pound companies.

“We have a four-year-old son and a one-month-old daughter. Before the industrial site was here it was a factory, working 9-5 Monday to Friday.

“We live next to the site sharing an adjoining wall, very close to the entrance gates. We have had 18 months of noise from DVS, our house has literally been shaking at times from drilling and building work commencing before 8am, which I have confronted them about several times with no results. We were told small, local businesses would be moving in. We were happy – we love Stirchley and how it’s changing.

“Unfortunately a company worth $2.6 billion moved in, Getir, and Go Puff will be here soon. “They have constant deliveries – every day 18 and 20 ton lorries are delivering very close to our house causing pollution, and every day nuisance.

“Residents having to move their vehicles daily – an 80-year-old woman opposite has to move her car three or four times a day.

“They have to ride up on the pavements and cause havoc. The unsociable hours are ridiculous – 5am til midnight we currently get with a similar company to Go Puff operating – that’s 19 hours a day, and now we’re being told 24 hour a day.

“The traffic, pollution and noise is currently unbearable. All the surrounding roads have signs saying ‘unsuitable for HGV’s’, but ours doesn’t.

“The right to sleep is a vital one. We like sleep. We need sleep. We work. We work hard. We’ve got two young children. We would be living under 24/7 sentences if this is brought in, in our houses, with permanent noise and nuisance.”

What have Go Puff said about the objections?

Speaking for the applicant Go Puff, a spokesperson argued that only 10-15 per cent of deliveries would include alcohol, meaning it would add little to the current operations on the site.

“Many of these reasons are really not relevant for today,” he added.

“We have concerns regarding deliveries to the premises by HGV’s, parking issues caused by said lorries, and maybe the pollution those lorries would bring to the local area.

“As you’re aware these are not licensing issues for you to consider today, but were really matters for the planning authorities at the time that permission was granted for the business park.”

A decision is expected within five working days.

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