Sainsbury's in Market Drayton store plan

Supermarket giant Sainsbury's is behind plans for a new store in Market Drayton, it emerged today.

The company, which has just applied for planning permission at another site in Whitchurch, wants a premises licence to sell alcohol from the former ATS Euromaster tyre depot in Shrewsbury Road.

Until now the identity of the retailer behind the scheme was a mystery.

But a licensing application lodged with Shropshire Council names Sainsbury's as the company behind the scheme.

Sainsbury's wants permission to sell alcohol from the site, which has been vacant for about a year, between 6am and midnight seven days a week.

Members of the public have until January 19 to comment on the licence application.

A separate planning application to convert the site into a small supermarket for "top-up shopping" is due to be considered by Shropshire Council's north planning committee in January.

The scheme includes creating a new car park, demolishing workshops and creating four full-time and 21 part-time jobs.

A design and access statement on behalf of the applicant says: "The proposal will create a local neighbourhood shop which will serve the community as a top-up shop for basket shopping.

"It will bring into use an unoccupied building on an important main street frontage in to the town centre."

The proposed opening hours for the shop are 7am to 11pm, including Sundays and bank holidays.

Meanwhile, work on Oswestry's new superstore and cinema could start in the New Year. Oswestry Town Council, which owns the Smithfield Livestock market on part of which the retail complex will be built, is currently looking at the conditions imposed on the planning permission.

Shropshire Council granted permission for the development on the land on the Shrewsbury Road in the autumn. But councillors insisted on a legal agreement which sets out a wide variety of conditions that have to be met.

The council has enlisted specialist legal help to look over the conditions, which include a shuttle bus service, improved signage into the town centre and improved access to the town centre.

Town council clerk David Preston said he was hopeful negotiations over the agreement could be concluded in the New Year and that early progress could be made in terms of the development.

Shropshire Council had to consider four applications for superstores in and on the edge of Oswestry. Councillors went against planning officers' advice in granting permission for the Smithfield Road scheme. Officers had recommended that the application for the Burbidge factory site be granted.