MEMBERS of West Somerset District Council's ruling Tory group effectively paved the way for a new supermarket in Minehead on Wednesday by approving the much-criticised revised Donaldsons' retail study. Having spent four hours thrashing out their concerns in a private question and answer session with report author Jonathan Baldock, councillors then spent a further two hours publicly debating the report before voting 13-9 to adopt it. There was a clear split in the council chamber, with opposition councillors refusing to approve the study, three Tories abstaining and the remaining ruling party members voting the report through. It will now be used to form the basis of all of the council's future planning decisions relating to the retail development of West Somerset. Trevor Shaw, the authority's regeneration and policy team leader, said he was happy the latest version of the study was accurate. "We should approve it for planning purposes. It is a balanced, well-founded approach to retail development in the district," Mr Shaw said. He was supported by cabinet member Cllr Ann Foxhuntley who rebuffed concerns about Donaldsons' impartiality. She said: "Donaldsons is a large firm who we have asked to provide us with an independent opinion. "The fact that other branches of the firm may have worked for the council does not affect their impartiality." But Cllr Simon Stokes said he was concerned Donaldsons had either been told or knew the outcome the district council wanted from the study, namely to justify the need for a new supermarket in Minehead. He also raised doubts about the accuracy of the figures used by Donaldsons to reach their conclusions. An independent group of scrutineers from the University of Plymouth has already told the district council the model used by Donaldsons to reach its conclusions was acceptable - providing the figures put into it were correct. But the university group said it had been unable to verify the accuracy of the figures. Meanwhile, a separate firm of consultants drafted in by Minehead Chamber of Trade had claimed Donaldsons' figures were so far out the need for new retail floorspace could have been overestimated by as much as five times. Donaldsons responded by denouncing the claims made by Nathaniel Lichfield Partners and accused the firm of using "extreme language" in what was more of an "advocacy document rather than an objective, professional assessment". Mr Baldock told Wednesday's council meeting his figures were correct and based on an internationally accepted formula. He said: "We believe the assumptions we have used are correct and are realistic. "We believe the assumptions by Nathaniel Lichfield Partners are incorrect. "There is no point using assumptions we believe are incorrect. The only purpose of that would be to mislead you. "Shops attract shoppers. What we are talking about would not have the devastating impact as talked about by some of the speakers. "It is quite right to say Minehead is not Taunton, but it should aspire to satisfying the area's main food shopping needs." Cllr Jess Griffith said she could still not accept Donaldsons' claims that Minehead would be able to 'claw back' trade from Taunton and Bridgwater. "Taunton is a regional centre. Minehead is a local centre. We are not meant to be Taunton. We are Minehead. "We are never going to have a High Street like Taunton. If people envisage that by passing this we are going to be comparable to Taunton then they are misled." Cllr Roger Webber urged his colleagues to accept the report, saying it related to the whole district and not just Minehead. "I do listen to people who are brave enough to stand up and say they want choice," he said. Cllr Nick Messarra appealed to local businesses to work with the council and said they alone would be the losers if they continued to fight the authority instead of working with it. Cllr Colin Hill pointed out that businesses did not go to the wall when Somerfield opened as many had feared, but had instead "changed exceptionally well for the better". He added: "Once in a while we have to make a decision for what the vast majority of people want. They want good pay. Vote this through and get on with it."