THORNTON residents and shopkeepers have won their campaign to prevent a supermarket chain from opening a new store on Fleetwood Road.

Healds wanted to build one of their late-opening shops underneath a housing development on the site of the old police station - but ran into fierce opposition when planning permission was sought.

The application was turned down by Wyre Council's planning committee which received 720 letters on a petition from shopkeepers and 20 individual letters all against the proposal.

Reasons for the objections ranged from the potential for excessive noise at untimely hours and the problem of teenagers congregating outside the off-licence.

Brian Wager from Rossendales Off-Licence explained: "The residents of the area supported the view held by local shops and businesses that the supermarket would not be good for the community.

"We feel that we have the youth situation under control as we employ people who live in the area who know the ages of youngsters trying to buy cigarettes and alcohol.

"And you can see the damage big delivery wagons would do on a blind corner such as this, let alone the noise they would make delivering early in the morning in a residential area.

"We've won the first round and will be prepared to fight on."

Jim Banes, director of development services at Healds, said: "The site used to be a police station and a wholesale fruit and vegetable merchant with lorries delivering all the time.

"Objections on the grounds that people fear the competition should not be a planning issue."

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