'Store wars' set to delay development

10:19am Wednesday 4th July 2001

PLANS to build a new supermarket behind Sidcup High Street face further delays because of more court action by Sainsbury's.

The row over the supermarket site is due to move to the Appeal Court next week.

The supermarket giant was the loser in a battle for the rights to build the store but bought up chunks of the development site.

Bexley Council issued compulsory purchase orders to buy up the Sainsbury's land to allow the winning company, Safeway, to build its store.

It also refused Sainsbury's planning permission for a store on the land it owned.

Sainsbury's appealed and the matter went to a public inquiry which gave Bexley its CPOs but also gave Sainsbury's planning permission. Sainsbury's then went to the High Court to appeal against the CPOs.

Bexley Council appealed against the planning permission.

Last month the High Court overturned both public inquiry decisions and refused Sainsbury's leave to appeal. The company is now appealing against the ruling which says it cannot take the case further.

The last time Sainsbury's had a development row with Bexley, it took it all the way to the House of Lords before conceding defeat. The company is currently in talks with the council to see if the situation can be resolved without further legal action.

Bexley Council leader and Sidcup councillor Mike Slaughter said the continual delays were very disappointing.

“Although some people opposed the scheme, once the decision was taken, everyone just wanted to get on with it. But there is nothing we can do.”

He said when the legal wrangling is finally ended, work could begin on site within a couple of weeks.