Campaigners lose two year fight to stop Sainsbury’s “ruining” their village

Oct 10 2012 by Helen Hunt, Heswall News

CAMPAIGNERS have lost their two-year fight against a Sainsbury’s in Greasby.

Despite two protest meetings attended by more than 500 people, petitions signed by 8,500 people and Wirral council officers rejecting the plans twice, the supermarket will build on part of the Red Cat pub’s car park.

The Government’s planning inspectorate based in Bristol ruled that planning permission should be given and ward councillor Cllr Mike Hornby said: “We’ve never been against having a development there but it’s got to be right and complement the village.”

Cllr Hornby said that Greasby already had a good range of shops owned and run by people within the village and that there was a fear that the supermarket would “ruin” their “localism” and the overall flavour of their village.

John Smith, chairman of the village traders’ association, said it was unsure whether to take the case to judicial review – the only recourse against planning permission being granted.

He and other campaigners have written to communities and local government minister Eric Pickles for his views on the Government decision being at odds with what was decided at local level.

The pub chain Greene King, which owns the Red Cat, confirmed that planning permission had been obtained, adding: “We believe this will help cement the area firmly at the heart of the community.”