THE long-running saga surrounding a planning application for a supermarket and housing development in Shipston has finally been concluded after an appeal.

A planning inspector has overturned Stratford District Council's refusal of the application and stated the development will not adversely affect the town.

However, the victory has come at a cost and Warwickshire council tax payers have been left to foot a £136,000 bill that the appeal ran up.

This week the town learned that inspector Phillip Ware had upheld the appeal by developers Ainscough Strategic Land for the development north of Campden Road.

The news has given the go-ahead for a new supermarket, together with petrol station, an extra-care retirement development comprising 80 cottages and 50 apartments with staff facilities. It is not yet known which supermarket chain will occupy the store.

Permission also includes 54 residential dwellings. Thirty-five per cent of all the housing is to be classed as affordable equating to around 70 homes.

The site is near the former Norgren works which already has permission on it for 102 homes following a separate planning application.?

Stratford District Council's planning committee went along with officers who had recommended refusal when the plans went before committee in January 2013. Officers defended the appeal on the grounds of the impact of retail store on the viability and vitality of Shipston town centre and the impact on the landscape.

The application has been a three-year-long saga and costs have been exacerbated when the council stalled an earlier appeal hearing in October 2013 when they asked for an environmental impact assessment.

In February 2013 the developers submitted a second plan which didn't include the supermarket but a mix of 215 houses and extra care apartments. This was thrown out by planners in June last year and promoted the applicant to resume the original appeal.

In his summary, Mr Ware said: "The proposal would represent a significant improvement in consumer choice. There would clearly be an impact on the town centre, but the consequences of this are not such as should cause the appeal to be dismissed. Overall, the proposal would not harm the vitality and viability of Shipston town centre."

Not everyone was pleased when the appeal was resurrected. Resident David Christmas, of Telegraph Street, said: “Neither our medical centre nor our schools can cope with the houses in either proposal. If development is allowed on one side of the Campden Road, what’s to stop it on the other side?”

The town council too had misgivings on the impact the development could have on the town centre. Town mayor Councillor Philip Vial said: "Although this was not the outcome the town council sought I am personally delighted that this process is now at an end and we can move forward together from here - continuing to make Shipston a vibrant community."

Shipston ward councillor Jeff Kenner said he was delighted with the outcome of the hearing stating it was a victory for the town which had fought hard for a supermarket and petrol station of the right size to meet the needs of the town.

"In a further boost, the county council has indicated that the extra traffic that this development will generate at the dangerous Portobello crossroads, together with neighbouring developments on the Campden Road, will strengthen the case for immediate road safety improvements. We will use this to press for the installation of a roundabout at the crossroads as soon as possible," he said.

Mr Kenner also voiced his concern for the cost the appeal had incurred.

"I have written to the chief executive asking him to undertake an urgent inquiry into the actions of the council that has contributed to a wholly unnecessary and wasteful two-year process of appeal at cost of almost £136,000 to the council tax payer."

Restrictions will be placed on the supermarket to limit it's impact on Shipston. These include conditions that it cannot have a pharmacy, cafeteria or restaurant and no post office. It's opening hours will be limited to 6am to 11pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 5pm on Sundays.