Top 50 Indie and West Country forecourt operator Chartman is celebrating after the local council rejected plans to build a Tesco supermarket and petrol filling station in the Cornish town of Bude (population 9,900).

Chartman, which includes the Bude Service Station in the town among its nine sites, combined with other retailers and interested parties to object to the proposals.

According to a survey by Cornwall Council the development would have impacted the town centre by between 8-27% - enough to wipe out many existing retailers.

The developer’s inclusion of seven holiday bungalows described as “Homes for Heroes” in the shadow of the new building was described as “cynical” at the meeting, where the proposal was defeated by 13 votes to 6.

With existing Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Co-op supermarkets already in the town, Chartman managing director John Hartshorne described the rejection as a victory for common sense. He said: “With Morrisons and the proposed Tesco together at the entrance to the town there would be little remaining reason for anyone to venture into the town centre itself.”

The developer, Catesby Property Group, has announced its intention to appeal against the decision.