Balsall Common's Co-op has been given permission to extend its delivery hours, despite neighbours saying it would ruin their quality of life.

The village centre supermarket was forced to ask for permission to accept deliveries later in the evening and earlier in the morning, after Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council pointed out the chain had actually been breaking the rules it agreed to some 35 years ago.

Speaking at last week's SMBC planning meeting, planning officer Kim Allen told councillors the Co-op had previously only been allowed to accept deliveries between 7am and 7pm Monday to Saturday, when planning permission was granted for the store in 1988.

"I think it is fair to say that with the passing of the years, that condition has not been regarded," she told the meeting. 

"I even believe the Co-op forgot about its existence to start with."

Having been alerted to the oversight, the Kenilworth Road supermarket then asked for permission to have deliveries seven days per week, and as late as 10pm Monday to Saturday.

But following 12 objections from locals and comments from councillors at the meeting, the Co-op has now agreed to extend its delivery hours to 7.30am to 9pm Monday to Saturday and from 10am to 4pm on Sundays.

The store - which in 2022 had a new coffee shop installed - can also have newspapers delivered an hour earlier "provided that they are delivered by hand to the Kenilworth Road entrance to the store only".

"Having seen the amendment [for newspapers] it does look very different," said Cllr Maggie Alan at the planning meeting. 

"The Co-op was there before the houses, so people knew the Co-op was there before they moved into the houses. 

"I can sympathise with people who feel they are going to be affected by the noise, but I do feel the condition the officers have put in is a good one, and I am quite sure people can live with that."

Councillors decided against allowing permission for the 10pm cut off at the planning meeting, and instead invited officers to offer 9pm to the Co-op. The supermarket accepted the amended timings and permission was then granted.