New store approved despite school traffic fears

The Co-op said its plans would bring more employment to the town

A convenience store will be built next to a primary school despite concerns over lorries delivering to the shop.

Attleborough Town Council, in Norfolk, had opposed the plans for a Co-op on land near Rosecroft Primary School, warning children could be put at risk.

The Co-operative Group said deliveries would be made to the store outside school pick-up and drop-off times and parents allowed to use its car park to help cut congestion.

Breckland District Council's planning committee voted in favour of the development after a report advised it was "acceptable in principle".

Under the plan, a 4,000sq ft (372 sq m) shop with 20 parking spaces will be built on disused land outside the front of the school on London Road.

Representing the town council, Attleborough mayor Andrew Westby said there was a "conflict between cars arriving and children being dropped off at school" as well as "huge problems with irresponsible parking".

But Norfolk County Council, which is responsible for local roads, raised no traffic concerns.

The land where the shop will be built is currently empty and fenced off

Thirty-three residents had also written to object including Elizabeth Burrows, who said there were concerns the nearby existing local convenience store would suffer a loss in trade.

She told a planning committee meeting the shop's owners had "stepped up" to run a post office in their store after the town's previous one had closed.

Defending the company's plan, Chris Edge, from the Co-operative Group, said it would create jobs and "bring a vacant site back into use".

"All deliveries are proposed outside of school drop-off and pick up times," he added.

Breckland planning officer Rebecca Collins said as parents could use its car park, the shop would "help to alleviate problems of wider car parking in surrounding estate roads".

The meeting was told the school had offered no comment on the plans.