Supermarket Tesco has won its legal battle to extend its store in Ystrad Mynach.
Caerphilly County Borough Council had refused the company permission to extend the store in November last year after opposition from local traders.
Tesco took the decision to a Planning Inquiry and won its appeal. It is now free to carry out the extension to its shop floor and increase car parking space by adding a car “deck”.
The Inspector concluded that there would be no adverse effect on highway safety or the free flow of traffic as a result of the extension proposals. He also agreed with the technical evidence submitted by Tesco regarding noise, lighting and landscaping that the proposed scheme would be unlikely to have any significant adverse effect on living conditions of local residents.
Independent planning consultancy DPP carried out the appeal on behalf of Tesco.
Nia Russell, a senior planner in the Cardiff office of DPP said: “The extended store will provide new and improved shopping facilities in Ystrad Mynach, securing and strengthening the town centre, whilst creating a substantial number of much needed new employment opportunities and associated benefits for the local economy.”
Sophie Akokhia, corporate affairs manager for Tesco Stores Limited added: “Plans to extend our town centre store have been developed in direct response to local demand.
“In light of the recent decision, we are now looking forward to offering our customers a wider choice and demonstrating the variety of benefits that our plans will bring to Ystrad Mynach in terms of economic development, investment and job creation.”
The planning process around the extension of the store has proved to be a controversial issue.
There had been concern that local residents would have to pay for the council’s costs for the inquiry – emphatically denied by council leader Lindsay Whittle.
Bad news. They are now going to add a laundrette etc, and suck what little life is left out of Ystrad highstreet. Sign of the times I guess, but they're very blatant about doing it (jobs? you mean that even though you've forced me out of business, I can get a job stacking shelves for you? That isn't job creation, that is regime change
Dear Sir.So much for local democracy.The local council voted against this proposal.The local councillors very also against.but most inportant the local residents were against this.The inspector who passed this does not live in the area so this will not affect them.
David Smith.former councillor for Ystrad Mynach.
I think its absolutely rediculous that you have a councillor pushing for a refusal on Tesco knowing that there would be a slim chance of this happening. Are the costs of the case which Tesco's are looking to recover going to come from Mr James, or will the public have to foot the bill? Someone needs to be taken to task!