There are fears Hoole’s special shopping environment could be devastated by a mini-supermarket reluctantly given the go-ahead by councillors.

Members of the public and families of traders in Faulkner Street packed an emotional planning committee at Cheshire West and Chester Council’s HQ yesterday.

The meeting was told 1,750 people had signed a petition against the application to convert The Elms Medical Centre, Hoole Road, into a convenience store.

Although Tesco has not confirmed it is behind the application, it was handled by an agent who has promoted Tesco Express stores across the country.

Just three councillors voted in favour of the project in line with the planning officer’s recommendation but that was enough for it to get the go-ahead. Seven councillors sat on their hands and abstained.

Visiting ward councillor Bob Thompson told the meeting: “The Faulkner Street shopping centre is a place this council should be proud of. The diverse range of shops, on a foundation of small, strong independent retailers, depends on passing trade, vehicles making that crucial turn off Hoole Road and into Faulkner Street.

“The application before you is founded on the basis that vehicles will not make that crucial turn but will draw up by the applied for convenience store.

“As the retail expert suggests, some 50% of the turnover will be taken from the existing convenience stores.”

But he suggested the expert’s view was ‘nonsense’ that shoppers would then complete their shopping trip in Faulkner Street adding to the strength of existing retail centre.

Cllr Thompson, who was backed by fellow ward councillor Alex Black, said the shopping centre was already ‘a wounded animal’ because of the impact of Aldi and Waitrose.

Committee member Cllr David Armstrong said: “My heart wants to refuse this, my head tells me from my understanding we can’t refuse it. I recognise all the things that have been said by both Cllr Thompson and Cllr Black but within the law before us, it’s very very difficult to refuse this.”

Cllr Ralph Oultram said: “I share those concerns of the fragile nature of that diversification of the shops there are in those streets. It’s a wonderful centre and it worries me to death that anything should come along that would upset that balance, allowing that to survive in these difficult times.”

After struggling to find a proposer, chairman Cllr Helen Weltman proposed approval which was carried to the incredulity of the public.

One woman, believed to be the wife of the owner of Mr Fruity greengrocers, stood up to say: “My husband has worked there for 30 years in Faulkner Street and nobody approached him or anybody else I know about the demand that we’ve lost already.

“You’d decided before you came here. Why didn’t you say there’s no reason, it’s got to go through, it’s disgusting.”

Another member of the public, Richard Trotter, told the press: “What was the point of that? Why have the meeting?”