TRAFFORD Council has delayed hearing the controversial Tesco/LCCC planning application.

Planning chiefs at the town hall made the announcement earlier this week, and said the application would not now be heard until March at the earliest.

Trafford’s chief planning officer, Simon Castle, said in a statement: “The preparatory work in relation to the LCCC/Tesco application is still ongoing, meaning the report will not be presented to planning committee before March,” he said.

“A date for consideration of this application has not yet been confirmed.”

Lancashire’s chief executive, Jim Cumbes, described the decision as ‘disappointing’, but said the club could live with the short delay as long as the outcome was still positive.

“We need a decision from Trafford as soon as is practically possibly in order to secure our future and progress our development proposals in accordance with the requirements set by the ECB,” he said. “Timing is of the essence. The slippage in the planning committee date is disappointing but we can work with it as long as the outcome is favourable.”

The delay has however, meant residents wishing to make comment on the application now have longer to do so, although a spokesman for the town hall’s planning department said additional comments may have to be taken orally at committee stage.

“We will consider all representations made in relation to these proposals which are received before the council's planning committee meet to consider the application.

“We cannot, however, guarantee that representations received after January 22 will be included in the main report presented to the committee, and they may have to be reported orally at the committee meeting.”