A car wash who requested to have their opening times extended has been granted permission.

The Esso Service Station on, Church Hill Loughton, will be allowed to clean vehicles who visit the site until 7pm on Sundays.

Current opening times at the service station are from 10am to 7pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 2pm on Sunday.

Rupert Ainsworth, the applicant of the proposed longer working hours, said the application has met the mitigation measures of reducing noise levels close to surrounding residents.

“It is a busy main road and bus route with a good number of local businesses and units and it’s a vibrant hub of activity of people using the shops,” he said. “The wash has been in place for about 30 years.

“7pm is not conserved anti-social and not exceed the operational hours of the service station which is 24 hours.

“The shutter itself complies of plastic rather than metal so the activation does not generate significant noise when opening and closing with every cycle and every time the wash cycle commences.”

Cllr Bob Jennings noted that despite some objection from some residents, other stations within the district have been allowed to operate on late night.

“I have visited the site I know the sight very week, he said. “However, I do have some sympathy with the residents in the of accommodation above the new Sainsburys.

“It will increase the noise because there will be more traffic going through.

“But given the information which officers have supplied concerned other car washes in the area […] I cannot find a reason to object.”

The Shell service station on Epping High Road currently opens from 7am -11pm and another based in Debden is open until 11pm.