RESIDENTS who live near Spalding Grammar School can enjoy more “quiet Sunday morning lie-ins” now plans for extra car boot sales have been refused.
The school wants to hold car boot sales on its west field in St Thomas Road on Sundays and bank holidays in the summer, for a maximum of 20 days.
It re-submitted a plan to South Holland District Council, following a refusal last year to hold 28 car boot sales a year.
Car boot sales have been operating from this site using a permit allowing 14 events a year without the need for planning permission.
Coun Roger Gambba-Jones said: “The thought of people being disturbed at 6am on Sundays and bank holidays horrifies me.
“People only have one day a week to have a lie-in.
“There is also the problem of lunatic parking – people just abandon cars.”
Objections had been received from five residents in St Thomas’s Road and Regent Street. One resident had written letters of complaint on four occasions.
Listed in the complaints were disturbance to residents from 6am, noise from generators and smells from catering vehicles. Lack of a buffer zone, with traders operating right up to the boundaries with residential properties, was also listed.
Coun Anthony Casson said if anyone wanted to see a well-organised boot sale they should go to Weston.
He said: “It’s very successful and starts at 10am and clears up at 2pm.”
Coun David Wilkinson suggested moving the start time to 8am could improve things for residents.
However, Coun Gambba-Jones said even if the start time was changed, it could only be imposed on the additional dates. He said: “We don’t have control on the other dates. But the fact remains the early start time is simply not acceptable to residents.”