12:20pm Tuesday 17th February 2009
By Richard Vernalls
CASH-STRAPPED Worcester City Council has been ordered to pay Tesco money after losing a lengthy planning appeal.
The supermarket giant was granted partial costs by a Government planning inspector after the city council was ruled to have acted “unreasonably” during the appeal process.
The inspector also allowed the Tesco appeal to build a new Express convenience store and 12 flats on land next to the Kwik Fit garage, in Barbourne Road.
He dismissed a similar application appeal by Tesco for 18 houses and a shop on the same site because it would be over-developing the land.
Worcester City Council planning chiefs said they were “disappointed” with the inspector’s decision.
Costs were awarded against the city council after it withdrew an objection to the appeal based on the number of houses which could be put on the site.
The city council withdrew the housing objection three months into the appeal when Tesco had already spent time and money working up an argument against the council’s objection.
Alan Coleman, acting planning manager, said: “Unreasonable in planning terms is different from what people might think.”
He added the city council had objected on the basis the development would adversely affect traders in Barbourne and that the inclusion of a shop would reduce the number of homes the site could sustain.
The city council local planning policy had allocated 30 dwellings to the plot.
However, the housing objection was withdrawn to concentrate planning officers’ resources gathering evidence for its remaining objection on the effects to traders.
In the event, the planning inspector was unconvinced by that evidence.
Mr Coleman said: “We made a full case. We are disappointed the inspector was not convinced by our argument.”
The appeal also drew opposition from people living in Barbourne and traders.
Val Monaghan, of Shrubbery Avenue, was a vocal opponent of the store and said: “It’s a bit of a blow for Barbourne. The area will never by the same again.”
David Jones, who runs the Modern Newsagents, in Barbourne Road said he was worried for the future of retailers along the Barbourne Road.
“We’re all a bit shell shocked. You only have to look at London Road where the Tesco Express is to see the effects it will have.”
Juliette Bishop, Tesco spokeswoman, said: “We are delighted with the decision and look forward to becoming part of the community.”
She said it was too early to say when building would start.
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