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No end in sight to Morrisons store legal wrangling

An artist's impression of how the Morrisons store at Neats Court could look
An artist's impression of how the Morrisons store at Neats Court could look

Work on the Island’s Morrisons store is still no closer to starting as the wait for a decision on a potential High Court action rumbles on.

A month after it was hoped there would be an outcome, Giles Haywood, of developer LXB, has spoken of his frustration that there is no news.

Rival developer Citygrove lodged a legal challenge to overturn the £25m transformation of the Queenborough site in April.

Citygrove had hoped to build a Sainsbury’s store in Power Station Road, but the supermarket pulled out in March.

The first stage of the bid is that a judge at the Administrative Court will consider whether or not to give Citygrove permission to take its judicial review claim to the High Court.

Chairman of Citygrove Toby Baines says he is also frustrated about the hold up.

He believes both the Power Station Road and Neats Court applications should be considered by Swale council at the same time and the most “planning appropriate” site be supported.

Mr Haywood said they are about six weeks away from getting on site once allowed and it will take about eight months to build, so if it was resolved now the earliest the store could open would be spring next year.

“The delay is clearly frustrating for everyone – particularly local people – although it’s obvious this is what the legal challenge was designed to do,” he said.

“We are hopeful with all the facts in front of them, the courts will see this an unnecessary process given the support for Neats Court and the fact this is really only about Power Station Road’s inability to attract any supermarket interest.

“LXB and Morrisons are still committed to the Island and as long there is local support, the store will get built.”

Meanwhile, Mr Baines says he has confirmation if Morrisons doesn’t go ahead, Asda will build on the former HBC Engineering site in Halfway - although a spokesman for Asda denied this.

Mr Baines added there are no plans to withdraw the legal challenge but insisted it’s not being done as a time wasting exercise.

“Islanders are fed up and spitting blood and I’m so sorry this whole process is ridiculously long-winded for all of us,” he said.

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