Sainsbury's disputes claim over new Market Drayton store
Supermarket giant Sainsbury's has disputed claims that it will open a store on an alternative site in a Shropshire town if its current planning application is refused.
Danbank Developments, a local company behind planning proposals for a new supermarket off Greenfields Lane, in Market Drayton, said Sainsbury's was one of three companies eyeing up the site.
But Sainsbury's, which is currently looking to build a store at the Vicon Works industrial units, in Market Drayton, say no talks with Danbank Developments have taken place.
Danbank is due to put in a full planning application for a supermarket following a meeting with Shropshire Council planning officers on Thursday. The proposals will include a petrol station and a new road layout as well as links to improved sports facilities and about 200 new homes.
Andrew Price, from Danbank Developments, said Sainsbury's was one of three potential operators looking at moving onto the site if Danbank gets planning permission "if they weren't successful on their current site". However, Sainsbury's bosses have denied this.
Ben Littman, Sainsbury's regional development manager, said that no talks have taken place with Danbank Developments regarding the Greenfields Lane site.
He said: "We believe our proposals for a foodstore on the Vicon Works industrial units offer the best opportunity to improve the shopping offer for Market Drayton's local community, and look forward to a decision being made on our planning application soon."
The application for the store in the Vicon Works industrial units off the A53 includes a 30,200sq ft superstore with a restaurant, bakery, recycling centre and a 250-space car park. It would create 200 new jobs. The plans, submitted in January, have been called in by the north Shropshire planning committee and will be considered in the coming months. During three months of consultation with residents about 70 per cent of people said they supported Sainsbury's plans for the store.
Mr Price added: "All I can say is that in similar circumstances to the ones we are facing in Market Drayton, when an operator is refused permission and there is an alternative site available, they will consider it."
Mr Price said his ideal situation would be that both sets of plans were called in by the committee to be discussed.
