THE divide over controversial plans for a new supermarket and retail development in Williton deepened this week as supporters of the project drew up battle lines.

In the face of mounting opposition and a petition that has attracted almost 2,000 signatures against the proposal, local residents in favour of businessman David Gliddon's scheme have launched their own action group and petition.

'Progress for Williton' is the idea of local couple Simon and Jophie Bruford, who said they were "fed up" with the negative comments about the plans by J Gliddon and Sons for the company's existing site in Bank Street and land behind.

"The new store and accompanying retail units will create approximately 150 jobs and make local prices more competitive," Mr Bruford told the Free Press this week.

"The increase in potential jobs gives more people in Williton the option of working in the village they live in.

"At the end of the day, a job is a job and not everyone has a car to travel elsewhere for work."

Mr Bruford said the new supermarket - just under half the size of Minehead's Morrison's store - would provide a more competitively priced shopping choice which would save families money - particularly those on low incomes - and negate the need for them to travel outside the village to do their weekly shop.

And he warned that if the application was not approved by West Somerset Council, the potential for development, either in the village or edge of centre, would be severely limited, given the lack of alternative sites.

"As a result it could be expected that there would be increased pressure for out-of-centre developments, such as on the existing Roughmoor Industrial Estate, which is both cheaper for retailers to operate from and often more convenient for car-borne shoppers," he said.

"But such developments would clearly provide no benefits for the centre of Williton."

The site of the proposed store, which would also include a number of smaller retail outlets, along with offices, five flats, a 175-space car park, new roundabout and pedestrian walkway to Fore Street, already has planning permission for more than 60 homes.

But Mr Bruford said building more homes on the land would just mean more people with no extra jobs available.

And if there was then a demand for a supermarket and no central location to build it, an out-of-village site like the industrial estate would take people away from Williton's retail heart and have a serious impact on existing shops.

Opponents of the scheme - who have won the support of Williton Parish Council and are fighting under the banner of the Love Williton action group - fear that the impact on Fore Street businesses would be catastrophic, with the Co-Op and Spar stores being hit particularly badly.

But Mr Bruford said he and other supporters believed the concerns raised over the impact on the vitality and viability of the village centre had been exaggerated:

"The site has the potential to become an integrated and important part of the centre, whilst any trade diversion from existing outlets is likely to be more than offset by the benefits of the spin-off trade."

The supermarket plans predict that an additional £2.21 million would be generated by the new development, which Mr Bruford said should mean existing businesses would be better off.

He said support for Progress for Williton, which has a dedicated website, Facebook page and a petition link, was growing.

"There has been a silent majority of local people who want this supermarket and they are now starting to become vocal about it," said Mr Bruford.

He added that the focus of the new group was not on the supermarket development alone: "It's about helping Williton to move forward. We want to see a community hall in Williton and more amenities for older children.

"We need a hall that will be big enough to hold wedding receptions, sports activities and community events.

"Progress for Williton is exactly what it says - we want to see the village grow and develop and thrive.

"We want it to move forward."