A COUNCIL planning meeting has heard that plans for a new Co-op store will kill trade at local shops. Concerns have also been raised about the safety of a pedestrian crossing to the shop, which would be built amid homes if approved.

Westcountry Land (St Agnes) Ltd has applied to Cornwall Council to build the convenience store, access, parking and landscaping on land off Penwinnick Road, St Agnes. The authority’s planning department recommended approval following a retail impact assessment by the applicant concluded there would not be an effect on the viability and vitality of the village centre.

However, others disagreed, including local councillor Pete Mitchell who brought the matter before the council’s central area planning committee today (Monday, November 17) due to the “foreseen detrimental effect on high street leading to shop closures”, as well as insufficient parking and access not being substantial enough.

In a written statement, Cllr Mitchell said the harm done to local traders would only be apparent after the store was built, so any assessment before that would be unreliable. He said a plan for a Co-op store in Bere Alston, Devon, was recently refused on appeal due to similar concerns as those in St Agnes.

The proposal – which has received 110 objections and seven comments in support on the council’s planning portal – is for a Co-op store measuring 348 square metres with 14 car parking spaces and one space for disabled drivers, as well as four bicycle spaces. It is expected to create both full-time and part-time permanent jobs and be open daily from 6am to 11pm.

It would be built near existing housing and a residential development which is currently being built, as well as two listed buildings. The World Heritage Site Office said the shop development would not impact protected land.

A council planning officer said at the meeting that access to the site has been “contentious”, but the highways officer had not raised any safety issues. The meeting heard there was no evidence the store would have a negative impact on the centre of St Agnes and that vehicle and pedestrian access, and parking, had been assessed as safe and suitable.

Jon Pearson, a qualified highways engineer with over 40 years of experience including as Cornwall Council’s senior highways officer, told the planning committee: “Throughout my career, I’ve used a simple test: would I be happy for my family to use an access to a development to walk, cycle, etc? If the answer was no, I’d recommend refusal, or nowadays I inform my client and step away. If the applicant had asked me to represent them on this proposal, I would have declined.

“Safety must always come first. This proposal has been forced into a site that is plainly too small to operate safely. The transport statement contains multiple errors and misleading statements clearly lifted from another scheme. There is no analysis of articulated lorries, yet I regularly see them delivering to Co-op stores in Penzance and Newlyn.”

He pointed out that the newly opened Saints Trail runs directly past the site. “The existing pedestrian refuge was assessed for 39 dwellings, not for 39 dwellings plus a supermarket. It already falls below recommended standards for width and safe use by wheelchair or buggy users.”

Cllr Dawn Brown, chair of St Agnes Parish Council – which has objected to the proposal – added: “The first of Cornwall Council’s priorities is strong, safe, vibrant communities with more decent affordable homes. St Agnes Parish Council strongly supports this priority, so it cannot support this application.”

She said over 90% of the community was against the proposal. “The issue is not just direct competition with the two existing convenience stores but the other food shops, the pubs, coffee bars and cafés that rely on passing trade for the viability of their businesses.”

Applicant Justin Dodge, of Westcountry Land (St Agnes) Ltd, said a near identical Co-op store approved by Cornwall Council in Fowey, which opened this summer, had received much opposition from the town council. “But now it has opened, it looks fantastic and really serves the local community, being incredibly popular and trading brilliantly, and is a real asset for Fowey.”

He added: “Importantly, it hasn’t had any adverse impact on their town centre, which was the fear. We understand why the ward member has called this application to committee, citing retail impact on existing stores in the centre, but as with Fowey we genuinely believe that this concern is overstated.” He said it would mitigate the need for people to travel to Truro to shop and would benefit St Agnes as a result.

Cllr Alan Rowe, who recommended approval, said: “I think a convenience store here will take pressure off the village centre itself … without impacting on the existing stores.” Cllr James Ball agreed there were no material planning considerations to allow the committee to refuse.

Cllr Joanna Kenny said: “I don’t like it. I’m not sure we have a material planning reason (to refuse), but I do think it will affect the centre of the village and I do think there will be excess parking in the streets around the store.”

Wheelchair user Cllr Steve Webb had concerns about the width of the pedestrian refuge. “Cars could not safely drive either side of me sat in that refuge in the middle. I feel that crossing is unsafe for a busy crossing to a retail store.”

A vote to approve was lost by four in favour with five against and one abstention. A resultant vote to defer to look at the highways concerns was carried by seven votes for, three against and no abstentions.