Hundreds oppose Market Drayton Sainsbury's plan

Nearly 600 people have signed a petition opposing controversial plans for retail giant Sainsbury's to open up a new supermarket in Market Drayton.

Proposals have been submitted to Shropshire Council for a new retail outlet at the former ATS Euromaster tyre depot in Shrewsbury Road which has been empty for more than 12 months.

The plan includes creating a shop where customers can "top-up" their shopping and a new car park, demolishing workshops. It would create four full-time and 21 part-time jobs.

But a petition, signed by 582 people, has been submitted by Halletec Environmental, on behalf of Maroof Shah, boss of the town's Costcutter store.

The application has also been met with more than eight letters of objection from residents and business owners who fear it would sound a death knell for other convenience stores.

They also fear it would harm the vitality of the town centre and increase the need for extra CCTV in town.

The news comes just two days after the inaugural meeting of new campaign group WH21 in Whitchurch which is calling on Tesco to rethink controversial plans for a new out-of-town store amid fears it would hit independent traders.

The Market Drayton application, which has been recommended for approval, will now be decided by the unitary council's North Planning Committee in Edinburgh House, Wem, at 2pm on Tuesday.

A decision on the scheme was deferred by councillors at the last committee meeting in December because they wanted more information from the applicants.

Plans have been met with a mixed reaction from members of the Market Drayton Chamber of Trade and Commerce.