Morrisons' plans for a shopping and leisure complex on the old Blackstones site in Uffington Road have been quashed by a High Court judge after objections from Stamford Chamber of Trade and Commerce and quarrying and con-struction materials firm FH Gilman and Co fearing that the complex would damage town centre trade. They launched the high court action after planning permission had been granted by the district council.
The High Court said that the council had not dealt properly with issues of public transport and setting a floorspace limit on the sale of things like small kitchen appliances. Selling these items would be more likely to impact on town centre shops than things like fridge-freezers and washing machines.
The judge also said that objections relating to public transport had not been properly dealt with by the planning permission as it stands, and that 'this particular permission cannot stand'
The district council must now reconsider Morrisons' application - but the courrt said that if permission was to be granted it must understand limitations required for the floorspace made available - in particular to sales of non bulky goods.
Also during the hearing, the Chamber won permission to appeal against an April High Court ruling backing the district council's decision to drop a protected route between Uffington Road and Ryhall Road from its Local Development Framework.
Chamber president Tim Lee is delighted with the decisions and called on the district council to commission a new retail needs assessment , adding that the chamber would continue to press for better roads.
The judge also ordered the council to pay the Chamber's costs.
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