A SUPERMARKET’S ambitions to become a town’s biggest retail unit have been thwarted over its possible effects on local businesses.

Councillors rejected plans for Sainsbury’s to expand and transform its Darlington store into a major retail complex – with petrol station, two-level car park and an additional shopping floor.

They supported a recommendation for refusal by planning officers who raised concerns that an expanded Victoria Road store could drain up to 75 per cent of trade from town centre shops.

A report added that the store would divert substantial trade from the crucial clothes sector, leading to a drop in overall trade.

Officers were also concerned that the expansion would jeopardise the proposed £110m Oval shopping and leisure centre, in Commercial Street, a key part of the council’s town centre strategy.

Planning officer Roy Merritt told the committee about ten per cent of town centre units were vacant.

“It is likely to result in a decline in the town centre’s vitality.

The town centre is already in a vulnerable state.

“There is concern Sainsbury’s will become a one-stop shop, making trips to the town centre less likely.”

He said the difference between Sainsbury’s and the Oval developments was that Sainsbury’s was on the opposite side of the ring road to the town centre, which acted as a barrier which deterred shoppers from going into the centre.

Discovery Properties, the developer responsible for the Oval, also objected, saying the expansion would make their development a less attractive proposal for medium and small businesses.

But 70 letters and a 150- name petition were submitted in support of the application.

Jeff Wilson, from Sainsbury’s, said the proposal would create up to 120 jobs and just four per cent of floor space would be given over to non-food products.

He said they believed the expansion would take only about 50 per cent of its trade from the town centre.

“We are, and will remain, primarily a food store.

“We have a very popular car park. We have surveyed shoppers using our car park over two days. On Friday, 32 per cent were planning to make a linked trip between us and the town centre. On Saturday, this was 46 per cent.”

Moving the officers’ recommendation for refusal, Councillor David Lyonette said: “The effect on the town centre is far too large for me.”