Vote no to Asda in Bognor, Arun councillors are advised

Vote no to Asda in Bognor Regis, councillors will be recommended next week.

A report to Arun District Council's development control committee by planning officer Keith Wheway recommends refusing the plans for Oldlands Farm off the A29 Shripney Road.

He gives four reasons for what will be an unpopular decision if councillors follow his advice at next Thursday's meeting.

They are:

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1. the land is identified for commercial and industrial purposes. Putting a store there would be contrary to that use and would prejudice its entire development for those purposes;

2. the proposals fail to show enough demand exists for the office development which Asda proposes;

3. the proposal would harm the vitality and viability of the town centre; and

4. a failure by Asda to show other sites less at risk from flooding had been thoroughly assessed.

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Asda property communications manager Tom McGarry countered: "If local people want an Asda store, now is the time to let the council know.

"Councillors have a chance to take this wonderful opportunity to create jobs, provide access to quality affordable retail and finally secure the private investment for the longed-for business park."

Even if councillors go against Mr Wheway's advice, he says they will not be able to grant planning permission for the scheme.

It will have to be referred to the Government Office for the South East

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because of the size of the out-of-town store proposed and the flooding risk.

There will also be a need to draft a legal agreement with Asda to ensure the store and business park work is carried out

correctly.

It was October, 2007 when the Observer revealed Asda's willingness to spend 30m coming to Bognor.

The company wants to open a store with 4,459sq m selling space with 500

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workers along with installing the services for a neighbouring business park '“ and the first 1,100sq m office building '“ to help Arun fulfil its ambition of the past nine years of using the land to create a high-quality business park.

In all, the business park would provide up to 19,500sq m of office space and 1,500 jobs if it is developed.

Mr Wheway says in a detailed report Asda is not needed in Bognor because the town's shoppers already have enough choice.

"While there is only one superstore, together the existing food stores and shops provide a wide range of consumer choice in a competitive market," he states.

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In addition, the presence of Asda could greatly harm existing and potential centrally-located stores.

"The proposed retail store would undermine the vitality and viability of the town centre to a significant degree, because of its substantial impact on Morrisons, which is the principal 'anchor' store in the town centre.

The proposed retail store would be highly likely to prevent or seriously delay the proposed large-scale new private sector investment in Bognor town centre."

It would be more suitable if Asda wanted to develop centrally as the company was doing elsewhere.

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"A more appropriate response would be to locate an additional food store in the town centre to help anchor the proposed town-centre developments and/or expand existing town-centre supermarkets to enable them to compete more effectively with Tesco."

Asda fights back

Tom McGarry, Asda's property communications manager, said each of the recommended reasons for refusal could be dismissed:

* the land is identified for commercial and industrial purposes:

"This site, zoned for a business park, has been undeveloped ever since the council decided it wanted a business park there," he said. "Put simply, Asda's plans will create 500 jobs and is the only employment-generating development that can provide the signficant investment to deliver the proposed business park and meet the council's policy aim."

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* the proposals fail to show enough demand exists for the office development which Asda proposes:

"The council has allocated this land to attract office employers to the town. Asda's proposal seeks to deliver modern high-quality office space. Refusing planning permission because we have not proven a demand for the type of space that facilitates the employment the council is seeking to attract to the town is illogical and contradicts their first point of refusal."

* the proposal would harm the vitality and viability of the town centre:

"This ignores the case put forward by Asda that there is a clear need for a foodstore to improve choice and competition for local residents.

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"We have tried to engage the council on ways we can link the site and the town centre, sadly to no avail."

* a failure by Asda to show other sites less at risk from flooding had been thoroughly assessed:

"Our flood risk assessment shows that this development is sound. All in all, we are surprised at the report and find it remarkable the council want to turn down jobs and investment during the economic downturn."

Overwhelming support for the Asda proposals is shown in the council's committee report.

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No objections, the official planning speak for backing, have been raised by Bersted, Bognor Regis and Middleton councils back the scheme along with Bognor Regis Ltd, Bognor Regis Civic Society, West Sussex County Council, the county highways officer and the county archaeological officer.

The Highways Agency, Southern Water, Natural England and Sussex Police have also raised no objections, along with Arun's environmental health officers and engineers.

A total of 36 written responses have also been received by the council.

The breakdown of their comments is given as: 30 support an Asda supermarket in Bognor, 12 support Asda at the proposed site and seven object to the scheme.

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