CONTROVERSY over an application by Sainsbury’s to double the size of it’s Ashbourne store continues, despite the proposals being approved by planning chiefs.
Questions about the application, the decision and the report into the application were put to Derbyshire Dales District Council’s director of planning and housing services, Paul Wilson at a meeting of the Ashbourne 50+ Forum on Friday.
And, townsfolk were still unhappy with the decision, despite revelations the council had employed a top retail expert to consider a report made by the supermarket giant.
Mr Wilson, who gave a presentation exploring five myths around planning law, faced a barrage of questions, all based around the Sainsbury’s application, despite having explained much of the laws and regulations surrounding the decision in his presentation.
Mr Wilson explained the district council were unable to justify denying permission to the supermarket giant, as they simply had no planning grounds on which to do so. He said: “Had Sainsbury’s decided to challenge that decision, had it gone against them in June, we would have struggled on appeal.
“That resulted in Sainsbury’s doing a hell of a lot more work before the decision came back to planning committee.
“We employed an independent expert to look at the figures that came back from Sainsbury’s. There was a very robust assessment of the case put forward by Sainsbury’s.”
