PLANS for the biggest development Chipping Sodbury has seen in decades has once again caused uproar at a town council meeting.

A reserved matters planning application for a Waitrose supermarket and 160 houses on the former Barnhill Quarry site, off Wickwar Road, is still attracting huge levels of criticism despite already being granted outline permission by South Gloucestershire Council.

Residents at Sodbury Town Council last week spoke passionately about their concerns for the future of Chipping Sodbury if Waitrose is allowed to build the 21,000sq ft store with only an additional 100 car parking spaces to the 200 already available. They expressed anger at the town council’s decision to relinquish its lease from Hanson Aggregates of the town car park, a move which paved the way for Waitrose to submit its plans. Bob Bryant, who runs Cotswold Vintners, said: "Our High Street is an incredibly important part of our community. It is our livelihoods.

"But now all that is at risk because nobody stood up to Waitrose and said if you want 300 car parking spaces build your own instead of taking ours."

Tony Harcourt, who works in Horse Street, told the meeting the opening of a Tesco store, in the similar sized town of Tetbury, with 170 car parking spaces, saw both independent butchers and a florist closed down within three weeks.

Long-time car parking campaigner John Mainstone, of Wickwar Road, said: "I have been completely underwhelmed by the democratic process.

"All we keep hearing is that Sodbury Town Council has no powers and the decision will be made by South Gloucestershire Council but surely we can put up some sort of fight because this is going to have a long and dramatic effect on Chipping Sodbury, and I fear it is going to be bad."

Chipping Sodbury’s local authority representative Cllr Adrian Rush said he was sure South Gloucestershire Council was aware of local concerns.

Mayor Cllr Paul Jobbins added: "I think it would be reprehensible of this council not to pass on continuing community concerns. We need to make sure the council understands the strong feelings still around and we will send the comments made here in full to South Gloucestershire Council."

The plans are expected to be decided at the end of June.