PERMISSION has been granted for the installation of spotlights to illuminate signs outside a new Co-Operative food store in South Cerney, despite opposition from the parish council.

With concerns voiced from local councillors as well as six letters of objection from residents, Cotswold District Council (CDC) ward member Juliet Layton brought the application before the planning committee on Wednesday.

Cllr Layton felt the signs being illuminated by spotlight would detract from the street scene which on a whole is in a conservation area, a view shared by the parish council.

The shop, currently, under construction, is located to the south of the High Street on a classified road.

“There are no other shops on that street whatsoever,” she told the committee.

“We don't understand why the Co-op needs to have spotlights on their signs.

“There will be plenty of illumination flooding out in the evening between those two glass doors and there will be lots of glinting onto the shopping trolleys, which will be in the front there as well.”

Cllr Patrick Coleman agreed that “it’s unusual for a shop like this to be isolated from other commercial premises” so illumination of this kind was not necessarily essential.

Planning permission for the Co-op itself was granted by CDC in November 2014, which was followed by further applications, including for a refrigeration plant and covered storage unit.

“Once again I get the feeling these people are pushing the envelope designing as they go,” said Cllr Coleman.

“We lost 20 per cent of the car parking spaces last meeting.”

However, he said he supported the scheme overall, with the Co-op likely to “provide useful part-time employment for people" in South Cerney.

Cllr Sue Coakley said that seeing as the committee had already granted permission for the shop, “we now have to allow them to trade and trade successfully”.

“We've heard that they will be hopefully recruiting local people.

“We've also heard that the lighting will be subtle and appropriate and turned off when the shop isn't open.

“I think we're making a mountain out of a mole hill, quite honestly,” she said.

“It is not unusual for applications to come in in bits and pieces. We might prefer it came in all at once in the same way we'd prefer there are no retrospective applications, but it's not our role to punish people because they do what is acceptable even though it's not our preference."

She proposed the committee agree with case officer Lydia Lewis and permit the application, and was seconded by Cllr Alison Coggins.

11 members voted in support of the plans.