DEVELOPERS behind proposals for a retail park in Barnard Castle have accused Morrisons of “seeking to retain its monopoly on food shopping in the town” after the supermarket giant tried to block the plans. Experts acting on behalf of Morrisons have lodged a series of objections to plans for a rival store at the former Addison’s auction rooms of the A688.
They claim proposals for a retail park with Lidl and Home Bargains stores would drive customers away from the town centre, affecting trade at Morrisons and other businesses in the area. It is claimed the development would reduce turnover in Barnard Castle town centre by 35 per cent. Traffic concerns were also raised.
But Dan Bramwell, a spokesman on behalf of the Lidl and Home Bargains scheme, said: “We are aware of this commercially motivated objection and it is not exactly unexpected as they seek to retain their monopoly on food shopping in the town.
“We are addressing the highways issues, along with those from the highways authority, through an addendum to the submitted transport assessment.
“Similarly, we will address their retail objections as part of our response to the local planning authority when we receive the council’s critique on the retail impact and sequential test elements of the planning application. It is clear from local resident engagement that there is a strong support for the scheme which will deliver choice and competition.
“A do-nothing scenario is not appropriate in this instance.”
Supermarket chain Morrisons had asked Leeds-based planning consultants Peacock and Smith and transport consultants Bryan G Hall to respond to the Lidl plans.
The Peacock and Smith report states: “A recent survey of Morrisons customers found that 65 per cent of shoppers also visited other shops and services in Barnard Castle.
“The store effectively anchors the town centre, generating footfall for the centre’s other shops and services.
“However, the Morrisons store and the wider town centre are vulnerable to trade diversion from an out of town proposal.
“In our view, the impact of the proposal on Barnard Castle town centre would be significantly adverse.”
The report claims that with the retail park being 1km from the town centre it would be “very unlikely” that people would go to Lidl and then head into Barney.
The planning consultants also query claims that 60 per cent of turnover at the Lidl and Home Bargains stores would come from people choosing to go there rather than to Bishop Auckland.
“We consider it more likely that the proposal will draw most of its turnover from stores in Barnard Castle, in particular the Morrisons store and shops such as Boyes, which offers a similar range of goods to Home Bargains,” states the report.
“The proposal is in clear conflict with national and local planning policy, as it proposes a significant amount of out-of-centre retail floorspace in the open countryside that will have a significantly adverse effect on the vitality and viability of Barnard Castle town centre.”
In common with a number of other comments, the Bryan G Hall report also raises concerns about the footpath along the A688 and the disturbance to neighbours due to the service arrangements at both stores.
