RESIDENTS living near Lidl in St Andrew’s Road, Bridport are fighting plans for the new store’s illuminated signs.

A delegation spoke to Bridport Town councillors at their recent planning meeting saying the lights would be ‘large and orange and unacceptable’.

Amanda Lancashire, who lives less than 60 yards from the proposed lights, said they would shine directly into her window.

She also described the proposed illuminations as ‘big, brash and unacceptable’.

The store’s lights are already often on until after midnight and on again at 5.45am, she said.

Rita Turner said the signs would shine right into her property.

She said the store’s parking and external lights were already on far longer than they were supposed to be – well beyond the agreed half-an-hour before and after opening hours.

Mrs Turner said if they were already not abiding by the rules in their own planning application they were unlikely to do what they said with illuminated signs.

She added: “In a world where everyone is trying to cut down on electricity as well as light pollution it is totally unnecessary.”

Town councillors agreed to oppose the application on the grounds that the level of visual intrusion and light pollution the lights would cause were out of keeping both with the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the conservation area.