The planning decision for a new Sainsbury's supermarket has taken a step back once again after a five year battle.
The seemingly straightforward plans to build a new store at the Meols Cop Retail Park in Southport became a battle which has rumbled on for five years.
The decision has now been deferred because of the uncertain future of department store Beales - which has premises on Lord Street, Southport - which is at risk of collapsing and has filed a notice of intent to the High Court to appoint administrators.
Council officer Steve Matthews told members more time is needed to make the decision and address the "full implications of what it might mean to Southport town centre" since the news of the department store.
Mr Matthews said: "Beales the department store have filed a notice of intent to the High Court to appoint administrators.
"It is understood the retailer with potential buyers of its department stores and as a result of this development officers consider additional time is required to address the full implications of what is proposed for Southport town centre and believe it would not be appropriate to consider the application this evening.
"For that reason chair it is recommended for the application to be deferred."
In 2017, the supermarket chain received planning permission to demolish the former Homebase store at the park and build a 60,000 sq ft store and petrol station.
The application was highly contentious and only approved following a five-day public inquiry - called for by former Southport MP and now Lib Dem councillor John Pugh in 2015.
The initial inquiry cost more than £130k of local taxpayers' money - and the four years spent revising the plans has meant countless hours of labour for council officers, piling more and more on to the bill.
Despite the plans being approved, work didn't start and in October 2018, Sainsbury’s formally submitted new plans for a smaller 50,000 sq ft store at the same site.
As well as the main store, the development is set to feature a petrol filling station with a 'kiosk' and public recycling facility, new car parking, landscaping and associated infrastructure works (following the demolition of some existing buildings).
At a Sefton Council planning meeting on July 31, 2019, Cllr John Pugh said the new store would have a hugely damaging effect on the town centre, as well as putting huge strain on the local highway network.
He also said it would be at odds with the local authority's recent pledge to reduce carbon emissions and aim to be a ‘net-zero’ local authority by 2030.
However, planning officer Steve Faulkner said the new store would be a positive addition to the town, with a 'net gain of employment opportunity moving forward'.
The planning committee then agreed to refer the proposals to the Secretary of State for approval.
However, back in September 2019 a spokesperson for the council said the Secretary of State decided not to call in this planning application for a further public enquiry.
They said: “The Secretary of State decided not to call in this planning application for a further public enquiry.
“We anticipate that this will enable us to grant planning permission once the required legal agreement has been completed.”
A Sainsbury’s spokesman added at the time: “We expect planning permission to be granted shortly, and we will keep the community updated on our plans.”
Members of the planning committee on Wednesday, January 15 agreed to consider the application in another meeting as soon as this new information is assessed.
