Supermarket refusal is set for an appeal (From Cotswold Journal)

Supermarket refusal is set for an appeal

9:00am Friday 22nd March 2013 in News

A DEVELOPER which failed to win permission to build a supermarket and petrol station in Shipston is appealing the decision.

Stratford District Council’s (SDC) planning committee (East) threw out the proposals put forward by Ainscough Strategic Land (ASL) at a packed meeting in January.

The controversial plans also included a retirement development of 80 cottages and 50 apartments and up to 54 homes on land north of Campden Road.

But John Brooks, planning director at ASL, said the application had received widespread support from the local community.

“We have been overwhelmed by the support we’ve received from the local community and were very disappointed to see the application rejected,” he said.

“The proposals for Shipston are designed to meet the identified needs of the town, providing much-needed local facilities and the response of the community shows the support for the proposals.

“We regret that an appeal is necessary and remain committed to developing the site.”

Councillor Jeff Kenner, Shipston ward member at SDC, welcomed the news.

“The decision to appeal has undoubtedly been influenced by the huge amount of local support for the proposal,” he said.

“A remarkable 59 per cent of individual submissions on the council’s planning website were in favour. If localism means anything this appeal will be upheld.

“The proposed supermarket would bring back a huge amount of trade to the town, it would provide jobs and boost the economy.

“It’s the right size, it’s on the best site – on the edge of town just 725 metres from the town centre – and it’s also accessible with a new bus link.”

But not everyone is in favour of the plans, says campaigner Trev Trevethick, chairman of Shipston’s Heart Alive!

Campaign.

“We remain opposed to this application, which we consider to be the wrong development in the wrong place,” he said.

“The application is not sustainable for the existing infrastructure of Shipston and there are no major plans in the pipeline to improve the infrastructure, allowing it to cope.”