PLANS BY supermarket giant Sainsbury’s for a new store in Whitchurch have been met with support – as rival Tesco bids to extend its Shrewsbury Extra shop by a third.

The proposal for a store off London Road, Whitchurch, is anticipated to create about 250 jobs. A planning application is in its final stage and has att- racted about 170 letters from residents and consultees.

The move by Tesco to extend its store at Battlefield came just months after the supermarket won approval to increase its non-grocery goods space – despite flouting planning rules. Traders have hit out at the plans.

The majority of responses received by Shropshire Cou-ncil for the Sainsbury’s store support it, with claims it will modernise Whitchurch. But people against the development fear it will lead to increased noise, lighting and traffic congestion.

Rebecca Herd, who lives in the town, said: “The high street is so out of date may-be other high profile stores may decide to come to Whitchurch if Sainsbury is here.”

But fellow resident Sarah Vaughan said: “Aside from delivery access being poor, it is a piece of open, green space that provides habitats for a variety of wildlife.”

Gareth Proffitt, for Shropshire Council, said the date the application goes to the planning committee won’t be decided until all consultation responses have been considered.

Tesco has employed a company to carry out a public consultation over its plans. Town centre traders today said they were “astonished” by the news and claimed urgent action was required to protect retailers in the river loop.

Tesco was granted planning permission last October to increase the space it uses for non-grocery goods. The firm had for three years been in breach of planning regulations on how many non-food items it could sell at the Battlefield store.

Tesco said the move would safeguard 420 jobs and lead to a number of new part-time positions.

John Hall, from the Shop in the Loop group, said: “It’s a joke and as you can imagine we will be robustly opposing this.”

By James Pugh and Russell Roberts