Cobham residents up in arms over a petrol station’s plans to open for 24 hours a day and sell alcohol are being backed by a conservation group who fear the move would impact on a nearby conservation area.

MRH GB Ltd, who owns the Esso garage in Stoke Road, has submitted an application to Elmbridge council to change their license allowing them to sell alcohol and open for 24 hours a day.

The station is currently open between 7am and 10pm seven days a week and is close to the Tilt, a conservation area.

But neighbours living opposite the garage have called the plans “completely unnecessary” and “detrimental” to the area.

Linda Grey, who lives in Woodend Park, said: “We live opposite the garage and we back onto the Tilt and it’s lovely and it’s a conservation area. The Running Mare pub, which attracts a lot of youths in the summer months, they fill out onto the green, they move off fairly quickly as there’s nothing to keep them there.

“If the petrol station sold alcohol and food they would have somewhere to go. They would get more food and drink and take it onto the Tilt. They’re noisy, they shout, they get loutish and throw stuff. I don’t think they need it there David Tipping, chairman of the Cobham Conservation and Heritage Trust, backed residents against the plans by writing to the council.

Writing on behalf of the trust, he said: “To extend the usage to a 24-hour period would be a retrograde step from the original planning agreement , which was put in place to protect the residential amenity of the area."

Regarding the protection of the Tilt, he said: “As a Trust we are, therefore, totally opposed to the outlet in question having alcohol on sale for 24 hours a day. The area is a very special place, as is the whole of the Tilt Conservation Area, and must be protected from misuse.”

Other residents, commenting on a Streetlife post, argued that the proposed opening hours would be beneficial, with one saying it would be useful to pick up groceries late at night.

Mrs Grey said: “I can’t quite believe it. If you can’t get your cat food before 10 o’clock you probably shouldn’t have a cat.”

David Hathaway, of MRH GB Ltd, said: “From our point of view we’re running a business and we own a lot of service stations around the country.

"If we think there’s a business opportunity to expand we will do that. We’ve done research and we think there is a demand there.”