Planner slams Tesco store plans

A planning boss fears a new supermarket scheme for the Forest of Dean could force smaller shops out of business.

Tesco wants to build a new branch at Cinderford's rugby ground, close to the town centre.

But Terry Glastonbury, chairman of the district council's planning committee, said the move would hurt the town's smaller retailers.

A spokesman for Tesco said the new store would help revitalise the town by bringing shoppers to the centre.

Mr Glastonbury has had to declare an interest, which means he cannot take part in planning debates about the scheme, but he said he felt strongly about the issue.

'Increase vitality'

He said his decision to speak out was based on the experience of his home town, Lydney, which acquired a Tesco in 2001.

"Since Tesco came to Lydney, we've lost the greengrocer, we've lost two bakeries, we've lost a wet fish shop and two butchers and I don't want to see it happen in Cinderford," he said.

Cinderford Rugby Club said the scheme was vital to its plans to relocate to larger premises at nearby St White's Farm.

Commercial manager Matt Bayliss said: "We're doing extremely well at the moment, we're in the top 42 clubs in the country, doing better than we could even dream of at the moment.

"There are so many kids up there who want to play rugby and that's our next generation of people coming through, so we really do need to move so some of those kids can play on their own ground."

Felix Gummer, from Tesco, said: "Over 50% of expenditure is going out of Cinderford.

"People are feeling their retail needs aren't being met in the town.

"What we need to do is bring people into the centre, we want to increase the vitality of the town."