Area Property Partners and Hark Group have lost their appeal against planning permission for a new Asda supermarket in Telford, Shropshire.
The joint owners of Telford shopping centre challenged Telford and Wrekin council’s decision in January 2010 to award planning permission to Asda for a 44,000 sq ft supermarket, petrol station and 500-space car park on the site of the authority’s existing HQ opposite Telford shopping centre.
Hark and Area argued that any move by its anchor tenant, whose lease at the Telford shopping centre store expires in April 2014, would take shoppers away from the 1m sq ft retail hub. Hark has planning permission to build a 85,000 sq ft supermarket, car park and shops on the nearby Red Oak car park.
However, the Court of Appeal in London rejected the challenge and the project can now go ahead.
A new home for Telford and Wrekin council has not yet been found.
A Hark spokesman said: “We remain of the view that the Civic Offices site is not suitable for retail, and is even less so following the adoption of the Central Telford Area Action Plan. We are considering the ruling and will make further statements as and when appropriate.”
annabel.dixon@estatesgazette.com
