THE meeting to determine Stroud store wars, which was due to take place on Thursday, has been deferred.

A spokesman for Stroud District Council said: “Since the meeting papers and officer recommendations on the three applications were made available the agents have provided further technical and legal submissions to the council.

"We must give these matters due consideration and because of the nature and complexity of the issues involved, with what are three multi-million pound planning applications, it would not be possible for committee members to have sufficient time to digest and consider three substantially updated reports.

"As such, council officers will be recommending to councillors that all three supermarket applications are deferred until mid-September.”