Council gives in to Tesco over Shrewsbury store application
Supermarket giant Tesco was today given permission to increase the amount of space it can use for clothes and household goods at its Shrewsbury Extra store – despite breaching planning regulations for the past three years. Supermarket giant Tesco was today given permission to increase the amount of space it can use for clothes and household goods at its Shrewsbury Extra store – despite breaching planning regulations for the past three years. The controversial plans for the store at Battlefield were approved by councillors today. For the full story see today's Shropshire Star
Controversial plans by supermarket giant Tesco to increase the amount of space it uses for non-grocery goods at its Shrewsbury "Extra" store were today approved despite concerns from other traders.
Tesco had been in breach of planning regulations imposed by the Secretary of State on how many non-food items it could sell at the Battlefield store for three years.
But today its retrospective plans were approved, following a close vote at the end of a 90-minute meeting.
Councillors on Shropshire Council's Strategic Planning Committee were completely split on the decision with an equal number of votes for and against, but its chairman John Everall had the casting vote, meaning they were approved.
The Tesco store was built three years ago with a sales area of 4,789 sqm instead of the 4,520 sqm allowed, an increase of six per cent.
In addition, the store wanted to increase the amount of space devoted to comparison goods - goods sold in the town centre - by 43 per cent making it 2,071 sqm compared with the 1,597 sqm permitted.
The firm sought retrospective planning permission and, despite councillors' refusal last month, it was taken to the strategic planning committee which discussed the plans at Shirehall.
At the meeting John Hall, chairman of Shop in the Loop which represents about 700 shops in Shrewsbury town centre, spoke against the plans claiming Tesco's breach had a negative impact on traders.
He said: "Tesco ignored conditions, and built and fitted out the store they had wanted in the first place."
Helen Ball, clerk of Shrewsbury Town Council, spoke against the proposals. She said: "14.3 per cent of all shops in the town centre are empty. 12.3 per cent is the national average."
But Huw Jones, speaking on behalf of Tesco's planning consultants DPP, said: "The extra space was an oversight when building the store and that's something we can't justify."
Councillor Stuart West said: "The damage has already been done and I feel we have to support the officers' recommendations."
By Emma Kasprzak
