PLANS to build a £1million supermarket on a pub car park has been given the green light by councillors despite residents’ concerns.
Worcester City Council discussed the application to build a Co-operative food store next to The Goodrest Tavern on Barker Street, last Thursday (March 19) after they were given a petition signed by about 430 members of the Rainbow Hill community.
Varinder Sunsoa, owner of Sunsoa Convenience store, spoke on behalf of the residents and pleaded with councillors to reject the application as she believed the new store would ‘shatter’ her business.
She said: “I’ve had the shop in Gillam Street for 15 years, I came from Birmingham to Worcester with my children and bought this shop because I saw the potential in it.
“In 2007 I invested so much money to make it a mini-supermarket, we’ve built a great relationship with the community and given our service to them for 15 years.
“I am not against the Co-op, but I am against its location, it will ruin my business, I feel my dreams will be shattered.”
Ruth Child, agent for New River Retail which owns the site, told the council the store would increase the pub’s chances of surviving and the landlord was fully behind the build which would bring 20 more jobs into he area.
She said: “We do understand the concerns of Mrs Sunsoa but it isnot for the council to regulate competition between businesses.”
The councillors said they could not accept Mrs Sunsoa’s fears over her business as reason for rejecting the application.
Coun Derek Prodger said: “I think this is a small scale convenience store which compliments Goodrest and helps them both survive.”
Councillors also said they had concerns about noise pollution and parking issues which may arise if the build goes ahead.
Coun Robert Rowden said: “Perhaps the store will act as a sobering influence on the community.”
Coun Jo Hodges said: “Where there are concerns of noise disturbance and Air pollution, this is a store that people will walk to.”
Concerns were also voiced about the deliveries and whether a truck would block most of the parking but Ms Child assured them deliveries would be made twice a day and at sociable hours.
Bob Pender, from Worcestershire County Council’s highways department, said: “We take references very seriously, there is a plan showing the logistics of how the delivery vehicle gets to the store area and out again, it uses both access points to get in an out again.”
