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Waitrose all set for the green light

From the Chard & Ilminster News, first published Wednesday 13th Sep 2006.

A NEW supermarket in Crewkerne is set to get the go-ahead at a meeting of district planners tonight (Wednesday).

A special meeting of South Somerset District Council's Area West committee has been arranged to determine the plans for a new Wait-rose in South Street.

Crewkerne Town Council backs the supermarket plans in principle but wants the developer to buy more land for car parking in return.

The report going before tonight's meeting says that there will be a shortfall of about 40 car parking spaces on opening day.

It adds: "It would not be unreasonable for the local authority to seek specific targeted contributions towards the parking shortfall from the applicants in view of the lack of any other major improvements provided for other traffic means such as bus service improvements."

Objectors to the plans have argued that there is no need for another supermarket in Crew-kerne.

Others say the town's car parking facilities are not equipped to cope and that the site is too small for the scale of development proposed.

Supporters of a new Waitrose say it will prevent people having to shop away from the town and will draw shoppers from nearby towns and villages.

Tonight's meeting is open to the public and will be held in the Victoria Hall in Market Square, Crewkerne, from 6pm.

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