Tesco's plan to expand Shrewsbury store

SUPERMARKET GIANT Tesco wants to expand its Shrewsbury store – just months after winning approval to increase its non-grocery space after flouting planning rules for three years.

Bosses at the chain say its plans to increase the size of the Extra store in Battlefield Road by a third will safeguard 420 jobs and lead to a number of new part-time positions being available.

But town centre traders today said they were "astonished" by the news and claimed urgent action was required to protect retailers in the river loop.

It comes after Tesco was granted planning permission last October to increase the amount of space it uses for non-grocery goods at the store despite concerns from other traders.

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The firm 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.

Sophie Akokhia, Tesco corporate affairs manager, said: "Our store is extremely popular and busy and is handling a higher level of business than it was originally designed to cope with.

"We want our customers to be able to shop in an attractive and well-managed environment and believe that by extending the store we can achieve that."

John Hall, from the Shop in the Loop group, said: "As you can imagine we will be robustly opposing this.

"I think it's fair to say we are fairly astonished they are doing this and you really have to wonder what's going to be left of the town centre if this wave of out of town centre development continues."

Councillor Mal Price, Shropshire Council member for Battlefield, said residents would have concerns over traffic but said any planning application would be considered on its merits.

The proposals include extending the south-west side of the store towards Harlescott Lane, taking in the land owned by Tesco.

There would also be improvements made to vehicle access to the store, with a left-in junction off Harlescott Lane and a dedicated lane into the petrol filling station off Battlefield Road.

By Russell Roberts