The plans for a 60,000 sq metre store, plus cinema, two restaurants and a DIY store went on public exhibition recently after two years of informal consultation with the Borough Council.

Studies commissioned by the council in 2007 had shown that the town needed an additional store to curb the 50 per cent exodus of food shoppers to Wrexham and Shrewsbury.

With the council saying that only one store application would be considered, competition is likely to come from the town council-owned Smithfield site and a development of the smaller J. T. Hughes site in Victoria Road.

The Richard Burbidge proposal which also includes some close care properties on the easternmost point of its site, was favoured by 70 per cent of respondents in a survey, said the timber products company's property consultant, Peter Vernon.

Under the company proposals, Richard Burbidge would move to another, yet unnamed, site in the Oswestry area along with its 330 employees.

Jobs safe

Staff have been assured that their jobs are safe and the move will allow them to be provided with a better working environment in purpose-built accommodation.

He said that work could start on a new factory as early as autumn next year with work on the store development beginning in autumn 2010.
Earlier this month the council said that it would consider all three applications together.

• Where do you stand in the 'store wars' debate? Which would you prefer to see developed - Liberty Mercian's Smithfield site, Richard Burbidge Ltd's site, a possible third site in JT Hughes on Victoria Road or perhaps you'd rather see money invested in the town centre?

Let us know, leave your comments below, or take part in our vote on the right hand side of this page.

You can even email your thoughts to mark.hooson@nwn.co.uk