Shropshire Star

'Disastrous': Sainsbury's Market Drayton store plan scrapped

Supermarket giant Sainsbury's will not be building a new store in Market Drayton, the Shropshire Star can reveal.

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The store chain said its application, for Vicon Works Industrial Estate off the A53, was no longer viable due to changing shopping patterns.

The application was given planning permission by Shropshire Council in 2013 but the retailer had to wait for final planning approval earlier this year following a review by the Government.

The store was set to create about 200 jobs and give the town an economic boost.

Market Drayton town councillor Roger Hughes said: "It is absolutely disastrous. People will now continue to shop out of town.

"It is absolutely appalling what has happened.

"This development had tremendous public and council support. We all really wanted it to go ahead."

The Sainsbury's plans, which received widespread support from local residents and councillors, were chosen instead of a rival application by Danbank Developments to create a Tesco store off Greenfields Lane.

Councillor Roy Aldcroft, mayor of Market Drayton, said: "It is certainly bad news for the town. It would have brought a great deal of employment and trade to Market Drayton.

"It is such a shame it took such a long time to get a planning decision.

"Despite having two supermarkets fighting over the land - we are now left with none.

"It is very sad and I am very disappointed with the news."

"Since the proposals were first announced, shopping patterns have changed considerably and following a review, the scheme is no longer viable for us.?

Sainsbury's first submitted its planning application in 2012 but Shropshire Council's planning chiefs delayed making a decision following the rival bid from Danbank.

The council was due to discuss the plans for Sainsbury's and Tesco in October last year, but decided to once again delay making a decision after receiving fresh information from Danbank.

The decision sparked anger from residents who supported the Sainsbury's bid and who admitted to being fed up over the time it was taking to decide on the applications.

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