Asda and Booths battle over supermarket plans

Mar 11 2010 by Laura Jones, Ormskirk Advertiser

TWO supermarket giants will tonight do battle in a bid to open in West Lancs – with hundreds of potential new jobs at stake.

Asda wants to open a 1,867sq m store on the former Hattersley site on Burscough Road, Ormskirk, which would lead to 110 new jobs being created.

Booths, already building a store in Hesketh Bank, wants its supermarket to underpin a mixed use development on the former HMS Ringtail site at Pippin Street / Liverpool Road South in Burscough, which would also include four non-food shops, offices, a car showroom, a restaurant and an ambulance station. If approved, 350 people would find employment at the new site.

The winner will be decided at a West Lancs planning meeting taking place this evening – although planning officers are advising that the borough is not big enough to support both schemes.

In his report to members, West Lancs’ executive manager for planning, John Harrison, said: “The existing shops within the Ormskirk and Burscough area are overtrading and there is surplus capacity to support a convenience goods store. However, realistically there is only capacity to support one new retail development within the Ormskirk catchment area.

“The Hattersley site is better located than the Pippin Street site, owing to its potential support-linked trips to the centre which will help promote the vitality and viability of Ormskirk.”

Of the HMS Ringtail development, he said: “Whilst I acknowledge the proposed (supermarket) is an anchor store which will bring regeneration and economic benefits to the area, I am concerned the location of Pippin Street being both 2km from Ormskirk and 2km from Burscough will result in a trade draw from the centres, which will be unacceptable.”