Government will not call in Tesco plans

The Government will not call in controversial plans by Tesco to increase the amount of space it uses for the sale of non-grocery goods at its store in Shrewsbury.

The town's MP Daniel Kawczynski and residents had written to the Secretary of State for Planning John Healey demanding that he bring in the retrospective application for Government inspection.

It followed claims that the supermarket giant had committed a breach of planning rules at its Extra store in Harlescott.

But Minister Bill McKenzie said the Government would not intervene in the matter and said the application would be decided by Shropshire Council "on its merits".

Shrewsbury Town Centre Residents' Association and Dr Maxwell Winchester, a Shropshire councillor, also wrote to Mr Healey.

Councillor Winchester claimed planning officers at the unitary authority were going against guidelines to recommend the application be approved.

Tesco wants to stock an extra 152 sq metres more of goods including clothing, DIY, household and recreational items after it broke planning rules restricting non-grocery space.

The store had been in "breach" of its restriction since it started trading in April 2007, claiming it had accounted for health and beauty products which it said consumers increasingly expected to purchase as part of their main food shop in its allocation for "convenience goods". But Mr McKenzie says it is the council which should deal with the matter.

In a letter to Mr Kawczynski he says: "The Secretary of State's general approach is not to interfere with the jurisdiction of local planning authorities unless it is necessary to do so.

"Having considered the concerns you raise about the proposal, we consider that it should be left to the council to decide whether or not to refer the Tesco application to the Secretary of State.

"I understand that the council's view is that the application does not need to be referred. Consequently, it is for them to determine on its merits."

The application was due to be heard by the council last month but was postponed after Tesco pulled its plans in order to respond to claims over how it had calculated its figures for space used for non-grocery goods.

By Russell Roberts