TRAFFORD’S planning officers have recommended refusal for two controversial applications to open supermarkets in Broadheath.

Both Asda and Morrisons want to build stores on neighbouring sites in the area – Asda on Lyon Industrial state, on Atlantic Street and Morrisons on the B & Q site on Atlantic Street.

But a planning report concludes that both applications should be given the thumbs-down – claiming the stores are not needed in Broadheath, and they would hit regeneration plans for Sale town centre.

This is only a recommendation and the decision on whether to approve the scheme rests with the councillors on the planning committee, who meet tonight (Thursday) to consider the supermarket applications.

Both applicants claims their respective schemes will benefit the area, bringing added competition and a jobs boost. Property Alliance Group, the applicant for the Asda site, says it would create 350 to 400 jobs; while Morrisons claims it will take on 220 staff. Seventy jobs would be lost on the Morrisons’ site, though, with the closure of B & Q.

But the independent consultants employed by the council to look at the plans, HollisVincent (HV), say the stores are not required. The council planning report says: “HV’s overall conclusion is there is insufficient expenditure capacity, or quantitative need, to support the turnover requirements of either of the applicant proposals.”

The report adds. though, that this “on its own , is no longer ground for refusal … although it does inform the approach to the sequential and impact tests.”

The sequential test – which looks at whether there is a ‘sequentially preferable’ site for a supermarket, concluded there is – in Sale, where the owners of Sale Square, Maloneview, have plans to redevelop the shopping centre. Maloneview claim the plans would be wrecked by supermarkets opening in Broadheath.

Recommending refusal, the report said: “Specifically, there is no quantitative or qualitative need for a further supermarket in Broadheath; there is a sequentially preferable site at Sale Square and the proposal will have a significant adverse impact on the likely investment on that site.”

Both proposals received both significant support and opposition. The backing for the Asda scheme included 28 letters and a petion of support from Two Little Ducks community group with 158 names. There were 47 ‘expressions of support’ in the plans by Morrisons.

But there were 158 letters of objection to the Asda scheme from residents and businesses. These objectors included Maloneview, Waitrose and Altrincham and Bowdon Civic Society.

Objectors of Morrisons included Maloneview, Altrincham and Bowdon Civic Society, Bowdon Conservation Group, Altrincham and Sale Chamber of Commerce, Altrincham Town Centre Partnership and Bowdon Downs Residents Association.