Jonathan James has urged the government to oppose more out-of-town supermarket forecourt deveopments.
The former Forecourt Trader of the Year is concerned over plans to build a 25,000 square foot store with forecourt about 200 yards from his Slade End Service Station in Chatteris, Cambridgeshire. Fenland District Council is considering the planning application.
Jonathan, operations director at retailer James Graven & Sons, said he was worried about the development, and highlighted the recent government legislation PPS4 (Planning Policy Statement 4), which set out the policy framework for planning for sustainable economic development in urban and rural areas. Jonathan explained: "The bigger picture is that PPS4, which the government brought out at the end of last year, is designed to make sure that town centre supermarket developments come first and not the out-of-town ones."
He warned other retailers that such a planning decision would be "a signal to other developers that they can do this now". Jonathan said he would be lobbying his local MP and the Secretary of State about the issue. A spokesman for Fenland District Council said: "Our planning committee was mindful to approve this application subject to the outcome of a transport assessment being considered on an alternative site."
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