U-turn on superstore
Westfield parish councillors have had a change of heart on plans for a Sainsbury's superstore and voted in favour of the application.
The scheme was due to go to Bath and North East Somerset's development control committee yesterday afternoon where councillors were being recommended to turn it down, amid concern from traders about the scheme planned for the Wells Road.
Westfield's environment and development committee had also voted to recommend refusal on the scheme when they discussed the plan.
But on Monday the parish council amended its standing orders and discussed the application again, reversing its original decision.
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But parish councillors agreed to tell B&NES that they are concerned about the impact the development would have on local shops and they want to see better landscaping.
Chairman of the environment and development committee, Councillor Edward Newman said that the change of heart had come about after clarification on the size of the store proposed and on concerns about roads serving the development.
Councillor Rob Appleyard said: "There is much talk about the impact on Midsomer Norton and Radstock but very little about what is good for Westfield residents."
Comments
by waynejkc69
Thursday, March 14 2013, 11:13AM
“The real way to help small businesses is to reduce parking costs and business rates. Superstores have free parking and this always goes down well. On top of that Superstores higher cheaper staff and get products at reduced prices. On the second point here there needs to be better competition laws OR traders that sell the same items e.g. cheeses, milk, meat, white goods, etc, etc, need to get together and bulk buy under one trading name. This could then be franchised maybe. However, parking fees are excessive and local authorities both sell out to huge stores and cripple small traders in part by their excessive business rates, etc. It would be nice if the FOI Act allowed traders to see what huge stores are charged for certain services and goods. But as they say in law laissez faire.”