TESCO supermarket in Petersfield has been granted permission to extend the range of goods it sells, despite fears trade could be sucked away from independent shops in the town centre. Until last week, there were strict conditions on the amount of floor space The Causeway store could use to sell non-food items. But now supermarket bosses have been given the go-ahead to increase to 15 per cent the display area it uses to sell a new range of consumer goods. Although that does not mean increasing the size of the building, it could see new items on the shelves including electrical equipment, clothing, furniture and DIY supplies. It will come as good news to those who have called for more readily-available appliances in the town following the closure of Curry's in Chapel Street earlier this year. But it is sure to concern the town traders who are already contending with increases in High Street rental. The supermarket's request to vary conditions imposed upon it by planners in 2000 did not meet with universal approval at last week's East Hampshire District Council south planning meeting. Brian Dutton said there were small independent shops in the town who, despite performing well, still needed support. He told members: "Why should we take trade away from them? I think that they work hard to serve people in the town, and I do not think we should give permission to this request." Ward councillor Anne Claxton disagreed and felt trade in the town centre had picked up since the turn of the century. She said: "One of the main objections to it being built in the first place was the fact that everybody thought people would just keep to Tesco. "But this has proven incorrect. There is a buzz about business in Petersfield which we did not have five or six years ago. That is a plus as far as the town is concerned." Mrs Claxton added that Petersfield needed a place where residents could buy electrical equipment and claimed there was a dearth of places for young men to by clothing in the town centre. "I'm not particularly happy with the amount of clothing and footwear shopping available in the town, because although we have a lot of places where they are sold, there is nowhere really for teenage boys to shop. "I really feel that I have to approve this." Sam Payne was also positive about the request, but questioned the long-term motives of supermarket bosses. She said: "I'm hoping this will bring more people into Petersfield. "I don't think people are going to come all the way to Tesco and just do all their shopping there. "Do you think looking to extend the range is a prelude to extending the shop?" Members agreed that the total gross floor area of the foodstore should not exceed 3,380 square metres, and no more than 2,177 square metres should constitute the nett sales floorspace. • The revised condition says goods sold can now be extended to clothing and footwear, DIY goods, household goods (furniture, pictures, carpets and other floor coverings, major appliances, textiles and soft furnishings and hardware), recreational goods (radio, television and other durable goods, sports goods, toys, games and camping equipment, other recreational goods, books and bicycles), and other goods (perfumery, jewellery, silverware, watches and clocks). The provision of a post office, dry cleaner or dispensing chemist is excluded, except for the latter while a doctor's surgery remains at The Grange next door to the supermarket.
