Hark Apollo’s attempts to stop supermarket giant ASDA progressing with a out-of-town development have failed.
Hark had tried to get government to call in ASDA’s plans to turn Telford & Wrekin council’s offices on the edge of the Shropshire town into a 44,000 sq ft supermarket. It was hoping to secure the chain to its own development in the centre of Telford.
However, last week secretary of state for Communities and Local Government, John Denham, gave ASDA the green light to progress its plans for the new store.
A spokesman for ASDA said: “We are delighted that the ASDA application has not been called-in. This decision is in line with the views of the council’s planning officers, members of the council’s plans board and the vast majority of local people.
“This now paves the way for major investment in Telford. That investment applies not only to the ASDA scheme but to the entire Southwater development.
“The hope now is that we can move ahead quickly, with no further obstructions, in order to deliver a scheme that can provide a range of significant benefits to Telford for many years to come. I would like to thank our hundreds of supporters in the local community.”
