Campaigners ask Prime Minister to intervene over Greasby store fight (From Wirral Globe)

Campaigners ask Prime Minister to intervene over Greasby store fight

11:13am Wednesday 17th October 2012 in News By Craig Manning

CAMPAIGNERS have written to the Prime Minister in protest after Sainsbury was given permission to build a “Local” store in Greasby.

Traders, councillors and householders in the village learned two weeks ago that the supermarket giant had been allowed by the planning inspectorate, a Government body, to build on the car park of the Red Cat, which is owned by pub chain Greene King.

In a letter to David Cameron, Greasby resident Evelyn Campbell-Smith representing protestors said the wishes of the village had been ignored.

The letter reads: “I am writing to you because, sadly, it seems to be a waste of time writing to protest to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles, about the way he has chosen to ignore the wishes of the village of Greasby, in what we are led to believe is a democratic country.

“You could forbid this travesty.

“The Planning Inspectorate has very recently given permission to Greene King to allow a Sainsbury’s Local and Vets4Pets in the car park of the Red Cat, which it owns.

“No-one in Greasby objects to Greene King selling part of its own car park but what is put upon it instead matters a great deal.

“The objection is to the Sainsbury’s Local is because, with much longer opening hours and the ability to undercut as it pleases, it will severely affect the string of local Greasby shops directly opposite.

“We are talking here of a row of small, privately owned shops covering a range of goods and service perfectly suited to the needs of a village of just over 10,000 population.

“These shops are doing well for now – but for how long?”

The decision to grant permission followed two protest meetings that were attended by more than 500 people and hundreds of letters of objection have been written.

More than 4,000 people signed a petition opposing the scheme. The application was also rejected by Wirral's own planning officers.

All three of Greasby’s Conservative ward councillors criticised the decision.

John Smith, chairman of the village traders’ association, said: “The big fear is the effect this new development will have on trade in the village. Our concerns have been completely ignored.”

A Downing Street spokesman said they do not comment on planning applications as they are commercially sensitive.