CHRISTCHURCH council has been threatened with legal action after a controversial decision on three separate supermarket schemes in the borough.

Last week planning committee members approved the multi-million pound Bailey Drive riverside proposal but refused two other applications for Meteor Retail Park in Somerford and for a Morrisons at Stony Lane on the Beagle Technology Group site.

All the schemes had been recommended for refusal by officers but after a mammoth five-hour meeting, members voted only to overturn the recommendation on Quantum’s Bailey Drive proposal.

This was despite questions of consistency raised by officers on the decision – but members felt the offers of affordable housing and the prospect of shoppers staying in Christchurch rather than migrating to Bournemouth, were too valuable to refuse.

Leader of the council, Cllr Ray Nottage, who attended the meeting said: “It was a very technical meeting and I think it indicated the extent of residents’ feelings about where they want their stores.

“However, it is my opinion that it will be subject to further scrutiny. I think members of the planning committee valiantly tackled the proposals.

“But it has raised questions of how we as a council can enhance our town centre experience.

“I hope the developers can empathise with the council in respect of our decision.”

Representatives from Meteor Retail Park and Beagle Technology Group say they are considering their next move but expressed disappointment following the outcome of last week’s meeting.

Planning officers are currently putting together decision notices on the resolutions.

Keith Mallett, head of legal and democratic services at the Christchurch and East Dorset Partnership said: “The Council is taking legal advice as a result of threats of legal action from some of the applicants involved in the planning applications for supermarkets which went before the planning control committee on June 14.”

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