IN A surprise decision said to be “the biggest for Stroud in 20 years” councillors voted to accept the Dudbridge Industrial Estate as the site for a new supermarket.

Members of Stroud District Council rejected two other applications, one for an Asda on Bath Road and another in Ryeford.

This means that Lidl, which currently has exclusive rights to negotiations with the landowners at Avocet Industrial Estate on Dudbridge Road, could be the new supermarket.

The Dudbridge site has a flood risk and officers advised councillors against accepting the application, recommending them to reject it. Whichever supermarket is successful in their proposal will be in close proximity to Sainsbury’s.

In coming to their decision at least four SDC members pointed out their concerns about the increase on traffic on the A46 if an Asda was to be built on the Daniels site.

Cllr Steve Robinson said: “I want to protect Nailsworth, according to an independent analysis done by the Chamber of Trade, shops in Nailsworth will see 125 job losses if there’s an Asda.”

Rodbourgh parish councillors said they were “delighted” with the outcome and Cllr Robinson added: “I think that was the best outcome we could have had with the choices available to us especially if it is a Lidl store because it wouldn’t have the same detrimental impact on jobs in Nailsworth as an Asda would.”

A spokesman from Stroud Against Supermarket Saturation said: “SASS is clear that there is still no need for more large out of town supermarkets.

“Councillors had to make a critical decision on the long term impact an out of town supermarket would have on Stroud, Stonehouse and Nailsworth.

“Whilst we had hoped councillors would reject each of the out of town proposals, there was robust debate and rationale behind their decision to give planning approval to build a store at Dudbridge.”

Officers made it clear to councillors at the start of the debate that according to planning rules they would not be able to make a decision on the applications based on whether their was a need of another supermarket in Stroud or not.

SDC officers also strongly advised councillors not to reject all applications because that would have made SDC’s case for rejecting them weaker if the applications went to appeal to the Secretary of State.

An Asda spokesman said he was “disappointed” at the outcome of the meeting and that the chain will now review its options.

Because the application at Ryefords is on appeal the final decision will be taken out of councillor’s hands with the Secretary of State having the final say in the matter.

During the meeting Cllr John Marjoram came head to head with one of SDC’s officers over the Market Tavern site.

Landowners on Union Street have repeatedly assured councillors that Marks & Spencer have expressed their interest in the site but with no confirmation of this from M&S and no formal application councillors were not able to take their expression of interest as certain.

Demanding to know if Mr Watton had “dreamt up” the possibility of the M&S store, Cllr Marjoram said: “We’re doubting the man’s credibility are we not?

“Do you have proof that M&S aren’t interested?”

In reply, the officer said: “Well we don’t have proof that they are interested.”