Southport Sainsburys secures approval
After a deferral earlier this month, plans for the supermarket at Meols Cop retail park were approved by Sefton Council yesterday.
The proposal was previously deferred on the 3 July planning committee to allow sufficient time for Members to give full consideration to “significant new information” that had been submitted on the day of planning committee.
Planning permission was granted by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in December 2016 following a public inquiry, but the application has since been reconfigured and downsized from the original application of 120,000 sq ft to 80,000 sq ft, with a net internal sales area of 50,600 sq ft. This is a 30,000 sq ft reduction in retail space from the original planning permission.
Despite these alterations, the project remained contentious. The council received a petition containing 30 signatures, endorsed by Cllr John Pugh, against the development. The petition said that a new supermarket is unnecessary as the area is already well served; that new jobs might not be created from its opening; that there was no need for a petrol station; that there will be increased congestion; and that overall the scheme was not felt to bring benefit to the local area.
Objections were also received from Asda, Southport & Windsor Properties, and Cllr Tony Dawson.
The development is set to be built on three vacant retail units which are to be demolished, and will include a car park and petrol station.
The approval is subject to a further ruling by the Secretary of State, completion of Section 106 agreement to ensure Sainsbury’s existing Lord Street store would remain open for a minimum five-year period, a commitment to local labour provision, and a list of 35 building and operational clauses.
The proposal is designed by Hadfield Cawkwell Davidson for Sainsburys and UBS. BNP Paribas Securities were the applicant, with Savills acting as the agent. Sainsbury’s professional team is made up with Todd & Ledson as the cost consultant, Vectos for transport, and Aspect Landscape Planning. Sefton is advised by Nexus.
Great, now let`s start spending our money in Southport instead of Liverpool. The LCR has been very bad news for Southport and it`s time to get on our feet again as a borough.
By Anonymous
This is a private development, nothing to do with LCR. You need to be thankful Sainsburys still want to develop in this town, MANY retailers are pulling out. Dont attack LCR, ask Sefton MBC why they havent done anything for the town, save for throw money at the Flower Show.
By Billy
@Anonymous( or should it be Heswall or whatever it is today), do you ever read anything before posting. It is quite obvious that you are against the LCR, in case it affects your house price?
If you were not in the LCR region think how your senior bus pass would be affected too!
By I LOVE LCR
Very strange to see LCR pulled into a debate about a supermarket. The city region concept is beneficial to Sefton
By Sevvy la
@Anonymous is Newdoader – Sea Monkey, he’s obsessed with Liverpool.
By Anonymous
Mmmm, interesting that our “out of touch” council approve the plan that incorporates yet another petrol station. There are already two at that junction, Tesco and the BP, so why do we need another one? Our government have made it perfectly clear that fossil fuelled cars are demonised and have decreed that they will no longer be sold after 2040, hence the reason that car manufacturers are now tripping over themselves to produce electric powered cars asap.
There will be a tidal wave of electric vehicles flooding into the showrooms next year, with a totally inadequate infrastructure to support them, so wouldn’t you expect the council to grasp this opportunity to spearhead the building of a pioneering electric vehicle charging station given the lack of any such infrastructure in Southport.
These overpayed bufoons that are payed by the taxpayer to sit on our council making these non-visionary decisions should be removed forthwith as they are incompetent and unfit to represent our town.
Or maybe there is some backscratching (aka “backhanders”), or secret handshakes are swaying the decision?
I shall be writing to the council requesting an explanation as to why they are not compliant with the government mandate to promote green transportation, not fossil fuels. I encourage others to do the same, after all, YOU are paying their wages from your taxes and should expect rational decisions that are compliant with government policy.
By Dave
Traffic is bad enough in this area without adding to it. I use the Lord Street store nearly every day but I cannot see me going to the retail park so that I can be stuck in horrendous traffic just to do some shopping!
By Jean Pilling
The economic effect of this proposed development could be far reaching. The planning Committee were given a heavily biased set of reports in favour. If they really wanted to build a huge superstore Sainsbury could have done with the previous application, but they know because of the competition the market is not there now, especially following the failure of the asda merger. They have been forced to reduce to a convenience store offer, otherwise they were contracted to build a massive superstore doomed to fail. The area is over subscribed with convenience offers with heavy discount traders already in place. Without doubt either this development or the town centre store will struggle to remain viable unless the retail sector booms which is unlikely with current trends.
By Yabber
Why do we need another supermarket at Kew
By Sheena Williams
I use Sainsbury’s lord Street for the majority of my shopping. It would be an horrendous task to go the bus and imposble to carry in one trip. Non
Drivers are not being considered and there are lot of these who shop at the lord Street shop!
if the car parking fees were reduced iwould bring more people into Southport. Southport has gone down hill since joining Section.
By A.morris
I use Sainsbury’s lord Street for the majority of my shopping. It would be an horrendous task to go on the bus and imposble to carry in one trip. Non
Drivers are not being considered and there are lot of these who shop at the lord Street shop!
if the car parking fees were reduced iwould bring more people into Southport. Southport has gone down hill since joining Section.
By A.morris
Would rather have an ikea there
By Cath
Personally I think its great news to have more jobs in the area, especially with the Lord Street branch remaining open for 5 years, regarding the petrol station you would hope that some provision is made for electric charging points and infrastructure to easily adapt to further electrical points being added. The development should also help sustain the other retail outlets on the retail park with increased footfall.
By Steve W
why I think Sefton Council don’t know what they’re doing? The the land Registry is owe by duke w Sutton not sefton mbc. What i think town will need to back southport all the way and we need vote sefton mbc out and give back west Lancashire. Then we can back Sainsburys with the new development of original application of 120,000 sq ft
By John w Sutton