Tesco store green light

Tesco were seeking outline planning permission for a new store, car park and petrol station at the former Carpets of Worth factory site.

At a special Wyre Forest District Council Planning Development Control Committee meeting on Tuesday night nine councillors voted in favour of the application and two against.

Their delegated approval is subject to referral to the Secretary of State and to a number of conditions including the construction of a new link road and bridge over the River Stour and payment of more than £500,000 towards bus services and other benefits.

Representatives of Mid Counties Co-operative Society, Stourport small traders and residents of Cutty Sark Drive and surrounding areas spoke against the application.

Concerns raised included the threat to local traders in the town centre, the possibility of increased traffic and gridlock and air pollution.

David Hall, development executive at Tesco, said the new store would encourage people back to Stourport, would create 200 new jobs and would deliver the first phase of a bypass which in the "long term" increased the prospects of a relief road.

Conservative councillor June Salter represented Stourport Town Council at the committee and said they had reached a majority cross-party decision in favour of the application.

She said: "It was because of the conditions recommended by the county council's Highways Authority that we felt able to recommend approval.

"Having said that, the feeling remains within the council that the only realistic solution to the town's traffic problems is the construction of a second river bridge and relief road."

Independent Health Concern councillor, Howard Martin, opposed the bid and said the application was concerned with increasing market share rather than benefiting residents who had to travel to Kidderminster for their main food shopping.

He said: "It won't be Tesco in Kidderminster that is affected but other retailers either in Wyre Forest or Stourport."

He likened Tesco's impact on local traders to a "cuckoo in the nest" which started off "small and cuddly" and then kept growing it ended up pushing everyone else out.

He added that he had misgivings about the planning obligations. He said: "Do we want a Tesco in Stourport or a bribe to have it?"

Conservative councillor, John Aston, said arguments that the development would cause pollution took no account of the former industrial use of the site.

He supported the application and said it was an "exciting project" and that the council should "look forward".

Liberal councillor, Fran Oborski, said she had "real sympathy" for the residents of Severn Road but that "valuable" brownfield sites did not remain vacant for long.

She explained that small traders were still thriving in Kidderminster despite the developments of Crossley Retail Park and Weavers Wharf and Kidderminster was on the upturn.

She added: "This is an on balance application but I believe many residents of Stourport will really welcome this development."

She supported the application and said the threat of losing the planning obligations should the application go to appeal was too great a risk.