Strong objections to the building of a supermarket convenience store next to a nursing home could not prevent plans from being accepted.

Residents gathered at Havering Council’s Regulatory Services Committee Meeting at Havering Town Hall last night to fight a proposal which will see a Sainsbury’s Local opened in Suttons Lane, Hornchurch.

The plans also include five flats being created on the first and second floors of the building – which is situated next to The Hornchurch Nursing Centre.

Speaking before the committee, chaired by Cllr Barry Oddy, Sheila Clements, of Dawes Avenue, which is opposite the site, said: “It is going to be terrible for the residents of the nursing home and us residents living close to the supermarket.

The site was previously used for a petrol station and will also include a car park containing five spaces for residents and 11 for customers.

Mrs Clements added: “There are going to be seven deliveries a day. Can you imagine these vans and lorries going in and out of the site, where there will be hold-ups in traffic, without noise and pollution?”

Tony Hitching, who lives over the road from the car park entrance, also opposed the plans, saying he lost his front wall when the petrol station was open.

A Sainsbury’s representative said there would be limited disturbances, with deliveries taking place 7am Monday to Saturday and 8am on Sundays.

He added: “We try to ensure we don’t reduce quality of life for residents.”

The store will open from 7am-11pm.

Cllr Barry Tebbutt, vice chair of the committee, said he was uncomfortable about the parking bay being on the side of the premises next to the nursing home.

“There is an accountant company on the other side that is only open during the day, so I don’t think Sainsbury’s are trying to look out for residents,” he said.

The committee voted seven to three, with one member abstaining from the vote.