WILLITON businessman David Gliddon has lodged an appeal against West Somerset Council’s decision last December to throw out his plans for a £7 million supermarket in the village.

The council’s planning committee went against officers’ advice and refused to grant permission for Mr Gliddon’s plans to transform the village centre.

He is also appealing against the committee’s rejection of his related application for retail units on the site plus a walkway through to Fore Street and a mini-roundabout and access road off Bank Street.

After the December hearing, Mr Gliddon said: “The decision flies in the face of advice from planning officers.”

The application was refused on the grounds that the development would have a significant adverse effect on the vitality and viability of the centre of Williton which was likely to result in store closures and impact on investment.

“Such an impact on the centre would result in reduced consumer choice and competition,” the committee argued.

It also claimed that the proposals did not accord with the local plans and national policy framework.

At the time, planning officers warned that they would struggle to defend the committee’s decision if Mr Gliddon appealed.

He will argue at the appeal that the development would form a logical and integral part of Williton’s centre, “involve private sector development and arrest the steady and inexorable decline in its retail function over the past 20 years.”

In his view, the proposal does not conflict with any local or national planning policy.

He says he has “confirmed interest from a variety of businesses” who have expressed clear interest in occupying space in the proposed developments.

No date has yet been set for the appeal hearing.