A BARRY convenience store trader has vowed to try and stay in business, following a supermarket giant's successful bid to set up shop next door.

Park Crescent Store newsagent owner, Narena Patel, this week insisted he would do his best to keep trading and monitor what happens, after Sainsbury's successfully appealed against the Vale Council planning committee's decision to prevent them trading in Park Crescent last year.

As reported exclusively in the Barry & District News (January 26), the Planning Inspectorate of Wales last week decided Sainsbury's could locate in Barry's West End - despite opposition from traders, residents and politicians.

Mr Patel said: "We will see what happens and how long we can go on.

"But it's completely wrong, especially in front of a school, and they don't take notice of the public. I'm just disgusted.

"There is no point having a council if everything they do is overturned."

Vale MP Alun Cairns said he was disappointed that the Planning Inspectorate did not appear to have given local residents the opportunity to present their views directly.

He said: "I share the concerns that many have regarding the road safety and traffic issues that will undoubtedly increase with the opening of the Sainsbury’s store.

"Local authorities have been put into a straight jacket by all the regulations imposed by the Welsh Government. "However, I was pleased that the Vale Council had listened to residents’ concerns and followed their own planning policies and turned down the original application.

"In England, planning authorities have a lot more leeway to take decisions in the best interests of the people in their area," he added.

"Here in Wales, we have a more centralised form of planning control which always carries the risk that the Welsh Government could approve the appeal which goes against local residents’ wishes for their own community."

Vale AM Jane Hutt said she was also very disappointed to hear that Sainsbury’s had won its appeal to locate a store on Park Crescent - alongside one of the busiest roundabouts and thoroughfares in Barry. "I supported local residents in their opposition to the plans and met with the Sainsbury’s store chiefs last year, to impress upon them the strength of feeling against their proposals," she said.

"This is a bitter result for local businesses, residents and campaigners."

Vale Council operational manager for development and building control, Marcus Goldsworthy, said the appeal case had been "strenuously defended" by the council on the grounds of highway safety and the effects of the proposal on the neighbours’ amenity, with particular regard to noise and disturbance. He said: "Despite a strong defence by the council's officers of the decision of the planning committee, the Inspector appointed by the Welsh Government found in favour of the applicant, and concluded there would be no impact on highway safety or on the living conditions of local residents.

"In allowing permission for the developments, the inspector has attached a number of conditions to each of the permissions but did not consider a legal agreement was necessary.

"The appeal itself was heard through an exchange of written statements and as such there is currently no mechanism for the appellants to apply for costs.

"Accordingly the council is not liable to any further costs in this matter."