Sainsbury's have moved to clarify the future of a new store for Southport , after the supermarket giant announced plans to CLOSE dozens of its stores.
Last week, Sainsbury's said it would shut up to 70 Argos shops and open around 80 instead within its supermarkets, and revealed plans to close up to 15 large supermarkets and as many as 40 convenience stores.
However, the major retail operator also said it would open around 10 big stores and 110 convenience outlets under the plan, which it insisted will increase its store estate.
Today they tell the ECHO they expect planning permission to be granted, suggesting the plans are still on track.
The new store proposed for Meols Cop Retail Park has hit the headlines on more than one occasion.
Seemingly straightforward plans, first submitted to Sefton Council in 2015, led to a battle that rumbled on for four years .
In 2017, the supermarket chain received planning permission last year 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).
And despite last week's concerning news about store closures, things look set to move ahead as planned .
A spokeswoman for Sainsbury's said: “We expect planning permission to be granted by Sefton Council shortly. We will keep the community updated on our plans.”
