An unexpectedly quick decision could be made by B&NES Planners when they meet, after we have gone to press, on Wednesday, 13th March. Planning officers are recommending that Councillors reject the application for a 96,000 square feet Sainsbury's superstore just off the Fosseway in Westfield. This has been one of B&NES' most controversial planning applications, producing 115 letters of support and 298 letters of objection, not to mention correspondence in The Journal. In a meeting of Westfield Parish Council on Monday night, however, only one local Councillor voted against the proposals, which will be put forward at Wednesday's meeting.

Even if Councillors were to reject the officer's recommendation and approve the application, it would have to be submitted to the Secretary of State for the Environment for his approval. This is because the proposal includes retail development in a location that is 'out-of-centre' and is not in accordance with the local Development Plan for the area. Furthermore, the planned store exceeds the 55,000 square feet floor space referred to in relevant guidelines.

The planning officer's reasons for recommending refusal give great weight to a retail assessment which shows that there is insufficient available spending in the area to support such a large store. Because of the area's lack of spending power, they believe such a store would take away 28% of Midsomer Norton High Street's trade and 24% of Radstock's retail business. The development would, as a consequence, be harmful to B&NES Council's established retail strategy.

Planners also argue that any major retail development should be as close as possible to Midsomer Norton's High Street, citing the Welton Bibby and Baron site as a better location for a store.

However, the Council's overall preferred location for additional retailing in the Midsomer Norton area is South Road Car Park, which is described as a 'key aspiration of B&NES Council'.

Other reasons for refusal include:

a) In the absence of agreed mitigation to address the impact of the development on the highway network and make sustainable transport links with the site to the surrounding areas, the development is contrary to planning policies.

b) The proposed development would result in the removal of existing trees and woodland whereby inadequate mitigation planting is proposed. This woodland provides important habitat and its removal would be harmful to ecology and visual amenity.

c) The proposed development by virtue of its layout,

inadequate landscaping and poor relationship with off-site development would be harmful to the residential amenities of adjoining occupiers.

Whilst these other matters can be addressed, albeit at some considerable cost, it would appear that the economic damage such a development could do to Midsomer Norton High Street and

Radstock town centre are very strong. B&NES' very strong endorsement of the plan for a supermarket at South Road will also be controversial.

Speaking to The Journal before Wednesday's meeting, Cllr Rob Appleyard, (Labour, Westfield) and current B&NES Chairman, said: "For so long, Westfield has had to put up with having to shop out of town. From our surveys, two-thirds of Westfield residents are in support of Sainsbury's and as their representatives, the Parish Council support it."