NEW plans for a retail park in Somerford have moved a step closer to approval, with officers recommending the scheme for six shops is given the green light.

The move comes as an appeal for a previous application for the rundown Meteor Retail Park site off Somerford Road is allowed by a planning inspector.

Leading names including Aldi, TK Maxx and Matalan have been linked with the newest plans for the site, with up to 156 jobs likely to be created, if the detailed planning application is approved.

The site already has permission for a supermarket, with a recent successful appeal granting a revision to the plans.

In his report granting the appeal, planning inspector Alwyn Nixon, said the council's reasons for refusal centred on the impact on the town centre and the potential loss of Waitrose, should the new store open.

"The Council is unhappy at the successive incremental increasing of the convenience floor space sought at Meteor Retail Park, and feels that it is wrong to simply consider the additional effect of each successive scheme", the report said.

"It contends that the health of the town centre is fragile, and that additional food store capacity outside the centre should not be permitted when the actual effect of the proposals already permitted has not yet been proven."

But he said even if another scheme was built, the effect would not be significant, with no evidence to prove otherwise.

The inspector also took into consideration the £533,333 town centre enhancement fund, which he said would 'offer adequate mitigation against the scheme's effect'.

In the latest scheme from Brookhouse Group for the site, which has been designed with a specific retailer in mind, the six units will allow both food and other uses.

It is not proposing an increase in floorspace from what is already permitted.

Other store names mentioned in a planning statement from Savills included Sports Direct, Majestic Wines and Bathstore.

These have not yet been confirmed.

The report says Christchurch is currently “not providing” for its residents in terms of clothing and footwear retailers with shoppers mainly using Castlepoint and Bournemouth town centre.

In 2008, councillors approved plans for an Aldi supermarket on the Meteor site as well three other retail units.

But the plans for the budget supermarket were delayed due to the tough trading conditions of the recession.

At the time the supermarket said they were still interested in Christchurch as a location.