New Sainsbury's on the way for resort divided by store wars

A seaside town is to get at least one new superstore after a scheme by Sainsbury’s cleared the final hurdle towards getting full planning permission.

Whitby has been divided for more than a year over store wars between the retail giant and rival Tesco, which have both been eyeing up sites in the town.

In July this year, Scarborough Councillors voted yes to the Sainsbury’s scheme in Stainsacre Lane and expansion plans by the existing Co-op store by the railway station. But the application from Tesco to develop High Stakesby was thrown out at the same marathon planning meeting attended by more than 400 people.

As reported by the Yorkshire Post, both decisions were plunged into uncertainty after Tesco appealed and the Sainsbury’s scheme was referred to the Government office as a potential departure from policy

But yesterday it was announced full planning permission for a new Sainsbury’s supermarket in Whitby is now likely to be granted after the Secretary of State decided not to challenge the decision by councillors.

Rachel Wigginton, from the Government Office, said: “Having carefully considered the relevant planning issues raised by this proposal, together with all the representations received, the Secretary of State has concluded that his intervention would not be justified.

“The application does not in the Secretary of State’s view raise issues of more than local significance which would require a decision by him. The decision as to whether to grant planning permission will therefore remain with the council.”

A key element of the justification for the original decision on Sainsbury’s was that the development would, on balance, have no detrimental impact on the vitality and viability of Whitby town centre.

The decision could also be upheld on the grounds it would have some impact on local traders but of a level that would be compensated for by the benefits of greater retail choice for the Whitby community as a whole.

However, a major shopping development that undermined the vitality or viability of an existing town centre as a whole would have been a breach of planning policy.

Given that it could be argued that a new Sainsbury’s is a departure from policy, planners say they felt it was sensible to notify the Government Office for Yorkshire, even though the authority felt the decision was correct and reasonable.

Pauline Elliott, Head of Regeneration and Planning Services, said: “For major proposals such as this, referral to the Government Office is standard procedure.

“Any planning permission granted without referral where considered appropriate or necessary, could result in legal challenge, which if upheld, could result in the decision being quashed and the whole process would then have to start again.”

Planning permission will be issued to Sainsbury’s once some legal matters have been finalised.

However, an appeal by Tesco and its development partners Harrisons against the council’s refusal of planning permission is still pending and an inquiry is on the cards early next year.

Planners had recommended refusal of Sainsbury’s proposal for a new store in the east of the town, saying the Stainsacre Lane site was too far out from the town centre. But councillors voted yes, subject to 26 planning conditions.

More than 3,700 objectors had petitioned against the Tesco development, which would have been built at High Stakesby under a deal with the Sisters of the Order of the Holy Paraclete, based at Sneaton Castle.

The pressure group Whitby Residents Against Tesco Superstore had claimed the proposed supermarket would drive shopkeepers out of business, destroy the character of the town and increase congestion.