FUEL deliveries to the Esso garage on Lanehouse Rocks Road, Weymouth could start at 5.30am in future.

The site is currently restricted to having no fuel deliveries before 7am as part of its 2016 planning consent.

Residents say the changes would be unacceptable in a residential area and have asked Dorset Council to reject the variation in the original conditions.

“This is a residential area and petrol trucks arriving outside people's homes at between 5am and 5.30am to deliver petrol is unacceptable. The Esso garage is already able to deliver right up until 10pm when the garage is a lot less busy. Please refuse this application and give our homes a little peace at such an early hour,” said neighbour John Barry.

The company say the earlier delivery time would help it to avoid ‘operational conflicts’ as the forecourt has to be clear of vehicles when the fuel lorry arrives.

Said a company statement: “The application is submitted with a supporting Noise Impact Assessment prepared by Venta Acoustics which has examined the noise implications of the proposed extension to existing morning fuel delivery hours. This concludes that early morning deliveries can occur on site without any unacceptable adverse impact on neighbouring properties.”

The existing site is open from 6am until 11pm seven days a week.

Dorset Highways has raised no objection to the change in operating hours.