Candidates quizzed over supermarket

Friday 23rd April 2010, 6:51AM BST.

North Shropshire’s main parliamentary candidates sat on the fence over Oswestry’s planned new supermarket when they took part in a radio hustings event last night.

Planning applications for four sites where developers would like to build a superstore have been put forward and candidates taking part in the Radio Shropshire debate were asked by presenter Eric Smith whether a new supermarket would be good for the town.

But none would give a direct answer.

Labour’s Ian McLaughlan said: “If it can be demonstrated that it would bring more people in the town centre, then surely this is good for everyone.”

Liberal Democrat Ian Croll said it was not for an MP to make a decision on the supermarket while Conservative, Owen Paterson said the correct people to decide planning were those from the planning authority.

The three were also quizzed about the economy, the effect of a hung parliament, and immigration.

The only thing they agreed on was that they would all be prepared to vote against their party if it was a matter that affected their constituency.

Sandra List of the UK Independence Party, Philip Reddall from the BNP and Steve Boulding from the Green Party, were recorded giving mini manifestoes.

View more: Election 2010 news, Oswestry news.

1
Oswald Soul

May 4, 2010 at 14:26

Any new 24 hour supermarket should be built close to the By Pass, where it will cause the least noise and traffic danger to the public.

A large modern supermarket will take all the trade from the town and anyone beliving a town center site would bring trade to exsisting shops is deluded. Wherever a superstore is built it will have a large car park, people will drive there do their weeks shopping and drive away.

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