Fresh twist in Whitchurch supermarket battle

The race to build a major new supermarket in a north Shropshire town took a fresh twist today as developers unveiled proposals for a site close to the town centre.

The proposal is to build a 4,600 sq m supermarket in Whitchurch, off London Road.

Assistant town clerk Rosemary Powell today confirmed a pre-application had been tabled by planning agents Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners.

She added the pre-application was for a retail food store with 313 car parking spaces, access road, and a four-island filling station.

The planning agents will run a public consultation event at the civic centre on October 14, 15 and 16. to hear the views of the local community.

At this stage the identity of the supermarket operator behind the plans remains a mystery and a formal planning application has not been submitted.

Gareth Proffitt, Shropshire Council spokesman, said: "Planning officers from Shropshire Council have held pre-application discussions with a potential applicant regarding a possible planning application for a new supermarket in Whitchurch. We're unable to say anything further."

It comes after months of rumours about developers eyeing up different sites in the town.

In March property developer Terrace Hill announced it had snapped up a nine-acre site for a new store to be operated by a "household name" supermarket. But it remains unclear whether Terrace Hill is connected to the pre-application lodged for the London Road site.

And in May proposals from a mystery developer to build a 44,000 sq ft supermarket and petrol station on Sir John Talbot's Technology College playing field were leaked.