A HIGH Court judge is still weighing up an appeal by supermarket giant Sainsbury’s to extend its Northwich store.
The company expected to find out last Wednesday whether the bid to extend its prime spot on Venables Road had been successful. But High Court deputy judge David Holgate QC has still not delivered a ruling.
Sainsbury’s claims it was wrongly refused planning permission when the former Vale Royal Borough Council decided it wanted the site to form part of the Barons Quay redevelopment, which is expected to bring £300m worth of investment to Northwich.
The extension, first given permission in 2002, would have seen improved customer toilets, a 120-seat customer restaurant and an extension to the sales area.
But the company allowed permission to lapse and a fresh application in 2007 was turned down by the now-defunct borough council.
It is understood the team behind the radical regeneration blueprint wants to move Sainsbury’s to the site currently occupied by Matalan to make room for an 80,000sq ft department store - expected to be Debenhams.
Sainsbury’s spokesman Jeremy Fieldsend said today, Tuesday, a ruling is now expected “some this week”.
