Town councillors have voiced concerns about the impact that Asda’s plans to expand its Highbridge store will have on local shops.
The supermarket giant announced last month that it wants to refurbish its Caxton Road store and add a new 10,000 sq ft mezzanine floor with a cafe and expanded product range, plus other alterations.
Two public consultation sessions were held at the store earlier this month when shoppers gave the plans strong backing.
However, members of the Town Council’s planning applications committee have raised a number of concerns at their latest meeting.
Cllr Bill Hancock told the meeting: “To my mind, it will crucify small shops in the area – I do not support the plans. As a small businessman myself, I am against the proposals 100%. The store is plenty big enough as it is.”
Cllr Helen Groves added: “The impact on our local High Streets needs to be carefully considered, particularly since the amount of non-grocery space will increase at the store, putting it in competition with local shops.”
“I am also concerned that the proposed cafe will encourage shoppers to stay there rather than use our existing cafes in Burnham and Highbridge. Local businesses will inevitably be impacted. Many small businesses are only just hanging on to their livelihoods by a thread – no-one wants to see them going under.”
Ross Bowen, Asda’s planning consultant, responded: “We fully appreciate the concerns and are conducting a retail assessment, however it must be noted that we’re trying to retain shoppers’ spending in Highbridge. We don’t want to see spending ‘leak out’ of the town or to other stores such as Tesco. The High Streets provide a very different experience to an Asda store.”
During the meeting (pictured right), Cllr Pat Burge also voiced concern that the store might seek 24-hour opening in the future and that the expansion is a step towards this. But Asda’s head of planning, Doug Wilson, reassured her “there are currently no plans for 24-hour opening.”
Cllr Paul Young, who is supporting the plans, asked where the extra customers to support the expanded store would come from. Mr Bowen said: “Some will come from Tesco and we also intend to claw back customers from further afield too – shoppers are willing to travel further to bigger stores like this.”
Cllr Peter Burridge-Clayton, who supports the plans, asked whether ‘compensation funding’ for Burnham and Highbridge would be offered by Asda, just as Tesco and Sanders Garden World have given in the past. Mr Bowen responded: “We have had pre-application discussions with Sedgemoor District Council and there is no requirement for a contribution so far.”
Concerns were also raised by Cllr Groves about increased traffic levels at the store if the expansion gets the go-ahead. Mr Bowen said: “A transport assessment has been completed and there will only be an 8% increase in traffic at peak times, which the transport consultants say is fully acceptable.”
Councillors voted on the scheme, with three in favour, one against and one abstaining.
Asda’s Doug Wilson said there had been positive backing for the plans from shoppers at the store. “We have had strong support with 118 shoppers giving us 100% positive feedback during the consultation sessions.”
Highbridge store manager Rob Robertson added that customers had been asking for a new cafe at the store for many years. He also added that the extension could lead to the creation of up to 18 jobs, depending on turnover.
