LANCASTER'S planning chiefs will face a barrage of opposition when they consider proposals to build a new store on the old K Shoes site in the city next month. Residents and local councillors are fighting the plans which have been submitted by developers Henry Starnes Properties Ltd. They want to build a non-food store on the Bulk Road site. Locals want the scheme turned down because they say there is already too much traffic in the area which is often used as a short-cut by people wanting to avoid the city centre.

Bulk ward Cllr Ian Barker said this week: "This must be the worst possible location for a new store.

"Bulk Road is a residential road but it already suffers far too much from the noise, fumes and vibration caused by high volumes of city centre traffic.

"The city council are trying to tackle this problem - we recently imposed a weight restriction to cut down on the number of HGVs - but this application could only make things worse."

The signs are already poor for the proposed store, set to replace the now shoddy K Shoes building, according to the council's chief Lancaster planner Andy Rowe.

He said: "We have previously refused a planning application for a food store on this site and I honestly don't see this being any different. It is not something we would encourage."

The developers are proposing that vehicles using the store enter from Back Caton Road and leave to Bulk Road.

He added: "We should be trying to concentrate shopping developments in the central area and the nearby streets. I have written to the planning committee and I hope they will turn down the application."

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