Environmental health officers at Ceredigion council have called for a car wash at the rear of a Waunfawr supermarket to be refused retrospective planning permission over noise concerns.

Retrospective plans have been submitted by Aber Car Wash and Valeting to continue to operate on part of the car park to the rear of CKs supermarket.

The car wash has been operational over parts of the past year without planning, and residents living nearby have complained of noise and parking problems.

The plans have been objected to by more than a dozen near-neighbours who raised “serious” concerns over the plans.

Geraint Lewis, senior environmental health officer at the council, told planners that the noise from the business would cause “disturbance to nearby residential dwellings”.

“Operational noise such as a jet washer or vacuum cleaner will likely cause noise audible within nearby residential dwellings,” he added.

Faenor Community Council said the site was “inappropriate” for a car wash and would be a safety risk for drivers and pedestrians.

“The short stretch of Rhos Hendre running along the back of CKs is actually a busy road, with traffic for the supermarket and post office and parents dropping off and picking up children at Penglais school.

“Increasing vehicle movements will clearly pose a potential risk to all these pedestrians.”

Faenor ward county councillor John Roberts said the business had “scant regard to protocol” by operating while the planning process was running, and said that Waunfawr residents “should not begin to accept unnecessary trading”.

“The immediate neighbours have to put up with unnecessary noise and disturbance in front of their houses,” Cllr Roberts said.

“The residents have a right to the peaceful enjoyment of their property which this [the car wash] does not give.”

One resident said the development has added more noise to the area, on top of the usual supermarket noise.

“While there is of course noise from the supermarket delivery lorries, that is only to be expected in such a location and is not a reason to impose more noise on those like myself who live close by,” they said.

“The area was clearly designated for the supermarket’s deliveries, and the thinking that half of that space could be used for a car wash is madness.”

A noise impact assessment carried out on behalf of the company argued that the noise from the car wash is only one decibel above “normal ambient noise level” in the area, and that a thick hedge formed a “substantial barrier” to any noise.

The application has also received letters of support, saying that it is “vital” to support new businesses and that the “level of traffic has not significantly increased” when the car wash has been open.

The plans will be assessed by Ceredigion council planning officers, with a decision expected in the new year.