Call to scrap Asda plans

Store wars have broken out between Asda and the developers of central Bognor Regis.

St Modwen's has said the Asda proposals for an out-of-town store should be scrapped.

The company has told Arun District Council that Asda's arguments for opening at Oldlands Farm were flawed. Asda has dismissed forming part of the new-look Hothamton site by saying it was too small for its requirements.

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St Modwen senior development manager Gary Morris said: "We believe Hothamton is a suitable site for a food store.

"That's evidenced by the fact we are in discussions with national operators who are interested in opening there. A store there will complement and add to the consumer spending in the town centre rather than it remaining out of town at Asda's proposed Oldlands Farm site."

St Modwen's planning agent, Cushman and Wakefield, has lodged a formal objection with Arun District Council about Asda's proposals.

The company's letter says: "Overall, the proposals will have a significant harmful impact on the vitality and the viability of the town centre.

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" Asda had shown that 2.1m of trade would be taken away from Morrisons each year. That equalled 11.6pc of that store's total trade, said Cushman and Wakefield.

Cushman and Wakefield stated Asda had not done enough to demonstrate why its Bognor store had to be based out of town.

It was St Modwen's view that the Hothamton site presented a clear opportunity for a second town centre supermarket of a sufficient size to provide effective competition and choice to Morrisons and Iceland.

The nature and appropriateness of the site in the central location was underpinned by the recent and proposed residential development which would result in a significant increase in the residential population, Cushman and Wakefield commented.

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