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Store giant presses on with Bishops Waltham supermarket plan
Supermarket giant Sainsbury's has pledged to press ahead with plans for a new store even though half the residents who responded to a survey said they didn't want it.
A public consultation, carried out by the firm, showed that 51 per cent of people opposed the plans to build on the former Abbey Mill business site in Bishops Waltham.
It leaves 46 per cent opposing the scheme whilst 3 per cent did not express a view either way.
More than 13,000 residents and business in and around Bishops Waltham were polled on the plans for the supermarket in July last year and 26 per cent responded.
Gerald Knight, spokesman for Sainsbury's, said: 'It's 46 per cent in favour. We are encouraged by that. People who are opposed to this development are keen to make their views known.
'But people who support it don't make as much effort to make that clear. It's quite unusual to get such a strong message of support.
'Nearly half the community support it.'
Now Sainsbury's bosses have announced they will send out details of the finalised proposals to 13,000 people before submitting a planning application, which is expected within the next three months.
Bishops Waltham Action Group (BWAG), which is opposed to the proposals, raised concerns about deliveries to the store and a traffic increase.
It also said the store would threaten other local shops and would impact on the character of the town.
But Mr Knight told The News: 'Unless we can convince Hampshire County Council that the traffic works we won't be able to get permission. But we are confident that we can persuade the county council that can.
'The people who are unhappy about this exaggerate the traffic increases. There won't be such a massive increase as people are suggesting. We aren't going to generate new traffic. Overall there won't be a big increase in traffic because the cars are already around.
'It would mean people could do their main food shopping there instead of having to go to Hedge End, or Fareham.
'We will do a further round of consultation so that everybody has all the information.'
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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