A GREENGROCER is now the only hurdle holding up a multi-million pound Tesco development in Bournemouth after it won planning permission yesterday.

The supermarket giant is going to build over the Kinson shopping parade – after two decades of trying – and will demolish the centuries old Royal Oak pub in the process.

However, greengrocer Malcolm Townsend has a shop lease until November 2013 and unless he decides to accept a financial offer from Tesco, the bulldozers will have a two-year wait.

Martin Burke, director for Tesco’s developers HHRL, told the Echo after the meeting: “There’s a proposal in front of him.”

Mr Townsend told the Echo earlier this year: “I actually really enjoy being here. My wife works here, my sister works here. I feel obliged to them as well.”

What if people said he was holding up a major development that would benefit the area?

Mr Townsend said: “Virtually everyone has said to me ‘we don’t like Tesco taking our shops away’.”

Residents fought to save the Royal Oak – which was won awards from the Campaign for Real Ale – but councillors reluctantly decided it was not worth trying to stop the deal to save it.

Cllr Phil Stanley-Watts said: “I regret loss of the pub but this area does need regeneration.”

Cllr Ben Grower said: “I don’t see why the benefits of supermarket shopping shouldn’t be available to the people of Kinson as it is to other people in the town.”

John Soane, from Bournemouth Civic Society, said the pub was from “at least the early 18th century”.

Customer Jeannie Trueman said it was a place where residents could get away from “sterile, seedy places”.

The completed store will have a 243-space car park behind the existing shopping parade on a vacant field, and the store will front on to Wimborne Road, adjacent to Millhams Road.

Tesco has agreed to pay for roadworks immediately outside the store, including a roundabout, and will also pay another £200,000 into the South East Dorset transport fund.

When asked about claims there are too many Tescos, Mr Burke said: “It’s an open market and I think as soon as they open, they become extremely popular.”