Sainsbury's Shrewsbury store expansion bid approved

The retail giant has been granted permission to increase the size of its store at Meole Brace Retail Park in Shrewsbury.

The plans will also include moving the petrol station on its site and changing the layout of the car park to provide extra spaces for shoppers.

Extra space will be provided for selling food and non-food goods, according to the plans. Part of the extension will be over two storeys.

The proposals, which were submitted about a year ago, have been approved by planning officers at Shropshire Council under delegated powers. At the time Sainsbury's said the move would create 100 full and part-time jobs.

Sainsbury's has predicted the expansion will lead to a 21 per cent increase in trade and a 7.5 per cent rise in customer trips to the store.

In a report Tim Rogers, planning officer at Shropshire Council, said: "The retail impact of the proposed development has been assessed and it is considered that this will not have a significant adverse impact on Shrewsbury town centre.

"The proposal will provide significant benefits to the local economy and will result in the net increase of 100 full and part-time jobs," he added.

The plans had been backed by Shrewsbury Town Council, which supported the change of the car park layout.

Members had raised concerns about increased traffic on Hereford Road on the approach to the retail park.

One objection was received from a member of the public.

Currently the store's car park has 540 standard spaces, 16 disabled spaces, 21 parent and child and six cycle hoops.

Under the new scheme there will be 559 car parking bays, which includes 33 disabled bays and 23 parent and child bays.

The current plans replace an application agreed in 2012 that included a raised car parking deck and a two-storey extension.