Brushed aside (From Warrington Guardian)

Brushed aside

HUNDREDS of campaigning residents and shoppers are facing defeat in their battle to stop the Co-op building a new supermarket in Alsager.

The United Co-op aims to demolish its current store in Lawton Road and build a larger supermarket on the same site.

At the same time Kimberley Developments wants to build a supermarket at the back of the nearby Fairview car park.

Both schemes have sparked major opposition from local people, who question the need for the stores.

Congleton Borough Council has been inundated with 351 letters of objection to the Co-op scheme, which is also being opposed by Alsager Town Council and Kimberley.

Residents say the new store would dominate the town centre, increase congestion on an already busy road, and would be too close to homes backing onto the site.

They claim the increase in trade at the new store would come at the expense of existing Alsager shops, there was no need for a new supermarket on the site and the number of planned parking spaces was inadequate.

Kimberley said the plan failed to address Alsager's need for food retail floorspace, as it represented a modest extension to the current floor area.

In addition the new store would have a neutral or negative effect on the town centre, and would result in a net loss of 27 public parking spaces.

Despite the opposition the Co-op has won the backing of borough planning chief Geoff Allen, who is recommending approval of the scheme.

"The town centre of Alsager would clearly benefit from an enhanced level of food retail floorspace," he said.

"The store may result in some claw back of expenditure currently lost outside the town, but its greatest impact will be for residents who already shop there."

He said on balance the benefits of the enlarged store would outweigh the disadvantages such as loss of trees, noise and the replacement of a play area with a much smaller one.

The Co-op plan is due to be discussed at next Tuesday's borough council planning meeting, and the Kimberley scheme could come before next month's meeting.

Mr Allen is suggesting a series of conditions attached to an approval of the scheme, relating to such issues as delivery times, noise and landscaping.

He said the hours of opening should be limited to 8am to 9.30pm from Monday to Saturday, and 8am to 4pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays.