TESCO is to be allowed to carry on 3am deliveries at its Musselburgh store, after a 12-month trial period saw only three complaints over noise lodged with East Lothian Council.

Despite reports from local councillors of regular approaches from residents who were being woken on a ‘nightly basis’, a report to the council’s planning committee was told only three complaints had been formally recorded by officials.

Ward councillor Fraser McAllister appeared before the committee on behalf of residents to plead for an end to the early-morning deliveries.

Mr McAllister, who lives beside the Olivebank Road store, said he and others were woken on a nightly basis by loud ‘gunshot’ bangs as the delivery lorry tailgate is lowered and the trolleys unloaded.

He told the committee: “Being woken every night when you have a busy day ahead is diabolical. If a gang of youths were breaking the peace every night like this, they would be arrested.”

Tesco were granted the right to introduce a single 3am delivery in November last year on a 12-month trial period.

They applied to the committee for the right to make it permanent; however, the committee agreed, after hearing arguments from objectors and local councillors, to instead extend the permission for a further 12 months and review the situation again at the end of that time.

Councillor Stuart Currie and Councillor Andrew Forrest, who both represent the Musselburgh East ward where the store lies, said they could not support a permanent licence, having been approached by residents who were disturbed by the noise.

They were joined in their objection by Councillor John McNeil, who represents the Musselburgh West ward.

However, store manager Simon Warren told the committee the 3am delivery was “crucial” to the store’s success. He said the store had about 240 online customers every morning who shopped on the internet and staff were needed to prepare deliveries to go out first thing.

He said: “Our internet shopping window opens at 5am and we have to have the produce on the shelves. We have 10 to 15 people employed through the night and not having that delivery would have an adverse effect on them.”

And he said that moves to reduce the noise, including switching off refrigeration and the engines, and putting down mats under the tailgate, had been introduced.

When the 3am delivery was approved, it was agreed the lorry would deliver at the front of the store to avoid driving down Inveresk Road to the delivery depot at the back.

The store was asked to look into the impact on noise if they brought the 3am delivery into the rear of the store, which backs onto a cemetery, with the option of changing this condition if it would make a difference.

Mr McNeil said: “Would it not be easier to go round the back of the store, where the closest neighbours you have have lived there since the 1500s?”

The committee agreed by 10 votes to two to approve the delivery for another 12 months.