Islington Tribune - News: Supermarket plan could be shelved over planning

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Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER
Published: 27 April 2007

Supermarket plan could be shelved over planning

WORK on a new supermarket in Archway may have to be put on hold after developers discovered that they didn’t have planning permission.
The internal refurbishments began six weeks ago and the Budgens store is within weeks of opening at the Holloway Road junction with Hargrave Road,
Developers assumed that with the site, previously a bank, and prior to that a shop, planning permission would not be needed for the new store.
But this week Islington council planners revealed that there was a stipulation after the change to a bank that any further future development at the site would be subject to full planning controls.
Labour councillor Janet Burgess, who has led a campaign against the supermarket on the grounds it will kill off small shops, was delighted with the news.
She said: “As we told the Tribune last week, we couldn’t understand how the scheme had been given the go-ahead without planning permission. We strongly object to it on the grounds that it would ruin trade for small shops and create a parking nightmare for residents at the back.
“At least we now have time to mount a proper campaign and take it to the North Area Planning committee.”
No one from the planned Budgens, an independent franchise, was available for comment.

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