Tenbury Wells councillors in Tesco backing U-turn

Civic leaders in Tenbury Wells have performed a U-turn by backing controversial plans for a Tesco superstore to be built on the town's former cattle market – just weeks after opposing the scheme.

Town councillors previously decided not to support the supermarket giant's proposals after a secret ballot at an extraordinary council meeting on September 26.

But after fears were raised over the legal validity of the vote, a group of councillors tabled a motion calling for the decision to be rescinded.

And at a fresh extraordinary meeting last night councillors instead chose to support the plans by six votes to four. A final decision on the plans will be made by Malvern Hills District Council on November 2.

It is Tesco's third attempt to build a store in the town in the past two years.

Demonstrations have been held by the TesNO group and Tenbury Futures have put alternative plans forward for the site.

Dawn Worgan, town clerk, said: "We did hold an initial vote on this back in September taking a secret ballot.

"But there was a suggestion that there was a problem and the council had not followed the correct procedure. So a special motion was put in place for the town council to vote on the application again.

"We held another vote last night . . . and councillors voted six to four in favour of recommending the application for approval."

The plans include a glass and timber 15,000 sq ft store and a 100-space car park.