TRAFFORD'S planning chiefs last night, Thursday, gave permission for a new Asda store to be built in Broadheath, but rejected a plan from rival supermarket giants Morrisons for a store in the same area.

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

But they were both originally turned down on the grounds they could impede plans to regenerate the Square shopping centre in Sale town centre – and so failed the council’s 'sequential test'.

The council agreed to look at them again, after solicitors acting on behalf of the applicants for the Asda application threatened to apply for a judicial review of the decision.

A council report explaining the decision to look at the applications again said: “The determination of ‘rival’ applications is not straightforward and it would appear that at the committee meeting there was some uncertainty as to the decision that had been taken.

“In the light of this potential challenge and after full consideration with the chairman, legal advice has been taken from senior counsel with regard to the council’s position.

“Counsel’s view is that it would be difficult for the council to successfully defend any challenge to the lawfulness of the decisions and that, whilst the council could seek to defend any application to review the decisions, the most likely outcome would be that the court would direct that the committee should re-determine the applications."