Market town 'cannot support three supermarket schemes'

The retail study commissioned by East Riding Council concluded there was "insufficient capacity" to support three food stores in the market town.

Councillors yesterday allowed Tesco, which is doubling the size of its store in George Street, an extra 30 minutes on previously agreed times for deliveries.

An application for the new Aldi store supermarket on the site of the former Co-op and Post Office in the town was deferred for a legal agreement over the provision of two hours free parking.

The planning committee, which met in Beverley, also backed plans for a food store, community hall and housing on the vacant cattle market site.

The schemes had been delayed after the owners of the cattle market site took legal action against East Riding Council. The Driffield Cattle Market Company withdrew their challenge in January.

The retail study, however, suggests that it will take some time to be developed, saying there will not be sufficient capacity for a foodstore on the site, as well as the replacement Tesco store and Aldi store.

The report says even in six years time there will only be capacity for about half the turnover of the food store on the cattle market site.

Mayor Steve Poessl said: "The Tesco doesn't fully meet the needs of people in Driffield but having said that three supermarkets is absolutely ridiculous. The retail study has proved there's not enough people to go round to make it worthwhile. While you do lose people to shops outside the town, what the politicians seem to forget is people come in because Driffield is quite unique."