Council head attacks store giant over plans

Calderdale's Janet Battye hit out after it was revealed that the operator was planning to open a 20,500 sq ft store on a site on Halifax Road next to a health centre.

The news is a further blow to traders who are already reeling from the news of well-developed plans by Netto to open a store at the former Olympia Cinema – the Abraham Ormerod Centre – on Burnley Road.

Andrew Hartley who runs a cheese stall in Todmorden Market Hall said: "A Sainsbury's store will draw people away from the town centre, it's happened in towns everywhere.''

Tony Thomas of Ham Corner in the hall added: ''We'll fight this all the way – we need everyone to fight this together.''

Kevin Macmillan, regional development executive at Sainsbury's, said: "These are exciting plans for Todmorden but before we submit a planning application we want to know what the local community traders and interested parties think.

"We'll be holding a public exhibition on Friday, October 8 and Saturday, October 9, in Todmorden and we'll announce the details soon.

"I would encourage people to come along, speak to members of the development team and have their say.''

Coun Battye, (Lib-Dem, Calder), said: "I don't think much to it and I know that local people are very concerned about it and the potential impact on Todmorden town centre. We have been telling the developers not to do it. There are other uses that site could be put to.

"It only became apparent at the end of last week what was being planned when I got a letter from Sainsbury's telling us what they were planning to do.

"It's looking like the developers think they have found a gap in the market – there was a study undertaken a few years ago which appeared to show that Todmorden did not have enough supermarkets in relation to the number of people who shop there with trade leaking away to other places such as Burnley. But I think they have misunderstood the nature of Todmorden.''