Green light for convenience store

By Daniel Collins

Rother council was asked to make the decision after a split vote at last month's planning committee meeting.

The decision paves the way for a retail outlet, rumoured to be a Tesco, and 10 residential flats with parking on the site of the Ken Hood car dealership on Cooden Sea Road .

Campaigners have pledged to seek a judicial review of Rother's decision.

Councillors who voted in favour of the scheme were loudly heckled by a packed town hall gallery full of Little Common residents who fear the plan will impact on independent traders and spoil the village way of life.

Planning officers advised members there was no case for refusal and the development met the criteria set down by Rother's local plan.

They warned the council could face costs of 80,000 if they lost an appeal against their decision.

An amendment sought by Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Sue Prochak to seek further legal advice, after she suggested the local plan was in direct conflict with government guidance, was rejected.

Cllr Prochak said: "I do believe there are planning conditions we could use to prevent this application."

Councillors were asked to grant planning permission in a recorded vote.

Cllr Patrick Douart (Con) said: "It is the overwhelming view of my constituents in Little Common that this proposed development is not only wrong but not needed and certainly not wanted.

"This development could be detrimental to the village way of life that is so appreciated by all. In the name of democracy, decency and common sense I move to refuse this application."

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Cllr Stuart Wood said: "The policy of the government is that we should avoid 'ghost towns' and supermarkets being built, killing off local trade."

Cllr David Vereker (Con) said: "The council should have a heart and show what it feels as a council who spends large amounts of money supporting various other projects."

Council leader Cllr Carl Maynard (Con) said members should not exaggerate the size and impact of the store.

He said: "The government guidelines only refer to the large superstores. Let's be very clear about what is on the table. It is a 418 metre square, small supermarket. We are not talking about a supermarket the size of Sainsbury (in Town Hall Square) or Tesco at Glyne Gap."

"It is quite clear there are no planning grounds to refuse this on," said Cllr Keith Standring (Con).

"People might think about the 300 people who signed the petition, but what about the 80,000 people in Rother District who will have to pay for this if we lose the appeal?"

Cllr Joanne Gadd (Con) said: "Being a member of St Mark's Ward I feel very strongly and sympathise with the residents, but it is a planning matter, and we have turned it down on various things before, but these (the arguments being made by objectors) are not planning matters."

Members of the public loudly voiced their opposition as councillors granted planning permission.

Speaking after the meeting, chairman of the Little Common Business Association, Stuart Earl said: "I am clearly disappointed with what the council decided to do.

"I think many members didn't understand the legal implications of the local plan yet they still felt they could go ahead and vote.

"I was very disappointed to see some people actually abstain on the vote because it is their community that will be destroyed by big corporations.

"A large store will be of no benefit to village life and will only cause more problems as far as traffic is concerned and will also put under pressure people's livelihoods and, most importantly, impact on services and choice for the customer.

"We will now discuss whether we have sufficient grounds to go for a judicial review of the council's procedures."