Conservative councillor Susannah Hart has backed residents opposing plans for a petrol station in Wells to operate 24 hours a day, warning there would be "avoidable harm and no gain".
Motor Fuel Group had applied to extend the operating hours of the Esso petrol station on Bath Road, Wells, allowing the site to operate throughout the night.
The petrol station is located in a predominantly residential area, with nearby residents raising concerns about additional noise, lighting, vehicle movements and late-night disturbance.
The application came before Somerset Council's Planning Committee East, where Cllr Susannah Hart, Conservative councillor for Glastonbury, spoke against the proposals.
Cllr Hart said:
"We should reject this. It's not Las Vegas, it's Wells.
"We don't need another 24-hour garage. There is avoidable harm and no gain.
"People who go shopping in the middle of the night are predominantly people who are high or drunk. Normal, quiet, family people don't go out shopping at a garage in the middle of the night."
The existing planning conditions restrict the site's opening hours to between 7am and 10pm each day. Residents told the committee that the restrictions had been imposed to protect neighbouring homes and questioned what had changed to justify removing them.
Concerns were also raised about predicted increases in noise, lighting from the forecourt and the potential impact of overnight activity on those living close to the site.
Following the debate, councillors voted overwhelmingly to refuse the plans by ten votes to one.
