£10 million Shrewsbury supermarket plan is revived

Developer Morbaine has launched an appeal against a decision by Shropshire Council for a store.

The Cheshire firm had previously said the proposed 21,000 sq ft store, off Hereford Road in Meole Brace, would create about 150 jobs but had yet to agree a deal with an operator.

A campaign group said today it did not believe the store was needed, with Sainsbury's already on the Meole Brace Retail Park, a Waitrose due to be built off Oteley Road and planning permission for another store on the retail park already granted.

Interested parties have until tomorrow to comment on the scheme after the appeal was lodged in February.

Final comments are due to be received by planning inspectors by May 2 with the scheme to be decided through written representations.

A decision is expected in June.

Councillors rejected the plans in August over concerns about the impact on traders in the town centre, the potential for the new development to exacerbate existing traffic problems and the loss of employment land to make way for the site.

They had previously knocked back the plans in May.

A submission by Morbaine to the planning appeal said the decision had been "erroneous, misplaced and unreasonable".

Keith Nutter, from Morbaine, said he was "very confident" it would win the appeal as the scheme had been recommended by council officers. He said talks with supermarkets to take on the site would occur if and when planning permission was granted.

The Meole Brace Action Group said it was concerned over the impact on existing traders, as well as traffic.