I FEEL that I must respond to the letter written by Craig and Sally Mills (You Say, June 22) regarding Tesco's 24-hour opening.

First, I am on the planning committee and yes, I did support the planning application that gave Tesco's temporary planning permission for 24-hour opening for a trial period of 12 months.

Now, those words "temporary" and "trial period" are the real key issues. The planning application put before the committee had no sustainable reasons that could have been upheld at an appeal to warrant refusal. As a responsible councillor the reasons why I voted for approval are very clear.

The trial period is exactly that. A trial for 12 months means that after the year has passed Tesco will have to re-apply for permanent 24-hour opening at St Peter's. What objectors will have to do now is write to the council and their ward councillors to highlight problems that have been caused by the 24-hour opening i.e. late night noise, light pollution, extra traffic and so on.

The council will record all complaints. The planning department will then collate this new and factual information.

When Tesco re-applies for unrestricted opening hours in a year's time, hopefully, our planning officers will have hard evidence. It will then be able to recommend refusal to the committee, along with the sustainable reasons that will be able to be upheld at an appeal if Tesco goes that far.

You must write and complain. Do not leave it, thinking someone else will be writing so you don't have to.

So please don't think the councillors who voted in favour have sold you down the river - it's to the contrary.

I know you will be forced to suffer for the coming year, but that has to be better than what would have happened if the permission had been refused for this trial period.

Tesco would have gone straight to appeal. Don't forget our officers had no hard evidence or reasonable planning grounds for refusal.

Tesco would have won its appeal. The council then would have no control over their opening hours at all. That clearly would have placed the residents of St Peter's in a far worse situation.

COUN G P KIBBLEWHITE,

Independent Conservative,

Bedwardine Ward.