Decision on Tesco store space delayed

A decision on controversial plans by a supermarket giant to increase the amount of space it is allowed to use for non-grocery products at its Shrewsbury store has been put off for one month.

The outcome of the application by Tesco was deferred, to allow planning officers time to consider new guidance on the development, at a Central Planning Committee meeting held yesterday at Shirehall.

The council confirmed last month a report into the application for the Tesco Extra store in Battlefield would be discussed at the meeting.

Tesco wants to stock an extra 152 sq metres more of goods including clothing, DIY, household and recreational items after it broke planning rules on how much non-grocery space it can have.

The store admitted the blunder, which saw it in breach of its restriction since it started trading in April 2007.

At the meeting planning officer Stuart Thomas said: "I recommend we defer for one month due to the Government publishing a new planning document on sustainable growth which has an impact on these schemes.

"We have also received a further letter from consultants acting on behalf of Tesco and we can bring this further report to members next month."

The committee agreed to defer the application until the next meeting on February 11.

The supermarket was last year criticised by Dr Alan Shrank, of Shrewsbury To- wn Centre Residents' Association, who objects to the change.

After the meeting he said: "All the documents which relate to the meeting were based on Government Planning Policy Six but on December 29 last year a new policy, number four, was introduced which tells you what development is all- owed, in particular in relation to competition between out of town developments and town centre retail trade.

"We were very pleasantly surprised the council understood the problem that they can only make a decision now by addressing Planning Policy Four."

By Emma Kasprzak