Shipston supermarket plans refused (From Cotswold Journal)

Shipston supermarket plans refused

10:01am Friday 25th January 2013 in News By Freya Leng

CONTROVERSIAL plans for a supermarket and petrol station outside Shipston have been refused by planning chiefs.

Stratford District Council’s planning committee (east) unanimously voted to reject the application on the grounds recommended by the planning officer at a packed meeting at Shipston High School last night.

Up to 250 residents turned out hear the decision following two-and-half-hours of debate.

The plans, put forward by Ainscough Strategic Land (ASL) include an extra care retirement development of 80 cottages and 50 apartments, up to 54 residential dwellings which include affordable housing and open space and landscaping.

Chairman Simon Jackson said the application had been “the most significant and the most controversial” the committee has had to deal with.

All ten planning committee members voted in favour of refusal on the grounds that the supermarket would have a significant, adverse effect on Shipston town centre, the development would damage or destroy the character of the area and a failure to submit sufficient information in relation to a proposed community building.

The application has been the talking point for mainy months in Shipston, since the plans were submitted a year ago, with rival groups SNAS (Shipston Needs a Supermarket and Petrol Station) in direct opposition to Shipston’s Heart Alive! Campaign (SHA!C) formed to keep Shipston’s town centre thriving.

Representatives of both groups were out in force last night.

For full story see next week’s Cotswold Journal.