Business leader welcomes Government decision to call in controversial Bridgnorth shops plan

Local government minister Sajid Javid MP has decided to call in the application for five retail units on the Old Smithfield car park, meaning he will determine the outcome of the planning application.

Steve Robbins, chairman of Bridgnorth Chamber of Commerce, led a campaign against the development, a leading demonstrations and starting a petition that gained more than 6,000 signatures.

He said: "We decided to refer this to the secretary of state who has the power to call in a decision under exceptional circumstances.

"We are very pleased that following an initial investigation the secretary of state is concerned enough to do this."

Mr Robbins said that, at a meeting of Shropshire Council planning committee in January, councillors wished to refuse the application for land owned by a nearby Sainsbury's store but were instructed by their officers that they could not do so, and therefore it was deferred.

At a subsequent meeting, councillors were advised by developer Ziran, that if planning permission was not granted the car park could close, although this was denied by the council's solicitor.

Mr Robbins claimed: "Ziran also advised councillors that if they did not agree to the development, it had someone willing to build a DIY store using the original planning consent, and that this would totally block access to the nearby hospital and medical practice.

"Officers of the council who have been working with the applicant showed councillors the original plans which were drawn up before the medical practice was built in order to support this claim.

"The planning committee therefore made the decision based on this information and decided the new retail development was the lesser of two evils."

Mr Robbins added that the chamber will be appealing the decision if it is given the go-ahead.

"The chamber's legal advisers have now investigated the whole of this application process and begun consultation with a barrister, with a view to appealing the decision in order to get it overturned. We will now await the decision of the secretary of state before proceeding further on this," he added.

"Our members believe the proposed application will do irreparable harm to the town and our petition found those who shop locally were also opposed to the development. We are committed to giving members the best support we can and working to improve the local economy for everyone."

The developer said the review may lead to delays but he remains "confident" that it will deliver a "fantastic development" for the town.

John Liggins, director at Ziran Land, said: "Our planning application for Old Smithfield has been 'called in' by the government for review, although no reasons have been provided to us at this time.

"Whilst the review may lead to delays, we remain confident that this scheme will deliver a fantastic development for Bridgnorth, regenerating a privately-owned site, creating jobs and providing local people with more shopping choice in their own town centre, for everyone's benefit.

"Our application was recommended for approval by officers and subsequently received a resolution to grant planning permission by Shropshire Council's planning committee, with good local support.

"We will continue to work with officers and respond to any matters in need of clarification as part of this review."

The shop development was approved by Shropshire Council planners in March after councillors were "minded to refuse" it in January.