Decision on Newport Sainsbury's bid is delayed until 2014
No decision will be made on a highly controversial Sainsbury's supermarket in Newport until next year at the earliest.
A three-week public inquiry into plans for a 50,000 sq ft store off Station Road took place in January and February and was nearing completion when inspector Trevor Cookson died suddenly.
It was decided the inquiry had to be re-started from scratch.
Now it has been revealed that it will be 2014 before all the barristers and consultants are available for the new hearing.
There will then be a period of three to four months before the final ruling.
Indigo Planning must be at the inquiry as it is arguing in favour of a store in Audley Avenue over one in Station Road.
Aoife Conacur, an associate at the firm, confirmed that January would be the very earliest that the inquiry could restart.
A planning inspectorate spokesman said: "The parties have not yet agreed a date when they will all be available."
The inquiry has already cost hundreds of thousands of pounds with each side – Telford & Wrekin Council, Indigo, the Save Newport Campaign Group, Co-op supermarket and Waitrose – employing barristers and QCs to fight their corner.
The local authority has not been able to say how much more money it will need for a second inquiry. It stands to make £21m in land sales if the supermarket is built.
Meanwhile, David Tringham, the entrepreneur behind a proposed Morrisons at Audley Avenue, is still waiting to hear the result of a High Court appeal over his bid.
He said: "Hopefully Morrisons will move quickly and that will be the end of Sainsbury's. Morrisons could be trading before the inquiry even takes place."
