THE council leader has welcomed the decision by planning chiefs to turn down controversial blueprints to build a Co-Operative store on a pub car park in Burtonwood.

Cllr Terry O'Neill said he was not oppose to the store relocating from Mercer Street but said their choice of site was not suitable.

He said: "I'm pleased it was turned down because I think they were trying to shoehorn a very busy Co-Op into a pub car park opposite a primary school.

"It was the wrong site in the village - that was the issue."

Cllr O'Neill said he has offered to meet up with bosses at the Co-Op to try and find a suitable location for a new store but the bosses have yet to respond.

The plans for the single storey shop on Chapel Lane were met with strong opposition from both residents and ward councillors.

In a meeting in December, councillors refused the proposals as they said the development would cause 'demonstrable harm' to the living conditions of residents on Kinnock Park by the 'intrusive presence' of the proposed building as well as noise and disturbance from deliveries to the store.

It was also recorded the proposed development would have an 'unacceptable impact' on highway safety on Chapel Lane which was the main reason for a number of residents' complaints.