FOUR years of fighting, four planning applications, and two appeals later, Tesco has finally beaten Harefield's protesters.

But already villagers are warning that the controversial 'green-light' will turn Harefield into a 'Tesco-village' with shops set to struggle competing with the retail giant.

The store will be build next to the Kings Arms pub in Rickmansworth Road.

An inquiry was held last month, and a decision was made by Wenda Fabian, an inspector appointed by the secretary of state for communities and local government on Friday.

Atul Sodha, owner of Londis in Moorhall Road, and one of the most outspoken campaigners against Tesco, said: "I'm gutted. The secretary of state has let this village down.

"The landscape of this village is about to change massively.

"At four separate planning meetings 100 per cent of Hillingdon councillors voted against the application every time."

Hillingdon Council had lobbied the inspectorate to again refuse the appeal.

The inspector instead approved it, placing 20 conditions their ruling, all which must be met by Tesco.

Construction work will only be allowed between 8am and 6pm on weekdays, and until 1pm on Saturdays.

Deliveries are instructed only to be made by special 8.4 metre vehicles only.

The store will not be allowed to trade outside 7am and 11pm, but will be open at these hours seven days a week.

Deliveries will only be permitted between 7am and 6pm, and from 8am to 4pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

Mr Sodha added: "I run a shop and our newspaper deliveries arrive before this time so I do not know how this is going to work.

"Hillingdon Council need to police the conditions properly and we should seek reassurances.

"The way to community has come together through the last four years, we have had more than 3,000 people sign petitions it has been phenomenal."

The Tesco Express will also contain space for three flats above it.

There will be four car parking spaces, three for residents of the flats, and one for disabled customers, along with eight cycle stands.

The rest of the space will be needed to accommodate Tesco's delivery lorries. The site is so constrained that normal vehicles are too large, and the 8.4 metre length mini-lorries will have to be used.

Shoppers who drive will be left with little option but to park on nearby streets, potentially a further fractious point for nearby residents.