SHOPKEEPERS are mounting a major offensive to stop a giant superstore being built on the fringes of their town.

Rossendale Chamber of Commerce is to meet at the beginning of February to start the battle.

Tesco announced this week plans to build a 65,000 square feet store at Newhallhey, half a mile outside Rawtenstall town centre, if Rossendale Council agrees.

The plans, with others for retail development in the town, are due to be discussed by councillors in March.

But traders are concerned that local people think the Tesco plan is already a certainty.

Traders mounted their first campaign - a 'No to Newhallhey' poster campaign - in local shops in November.

Chamber of Commerce president Tony Winder said today: "The gloves are now off. We will be mounting a major offensive. Our February meeting will add fuel to the flames."

Tesco have pledged local consultations and say the new store will create 370 jobs. But traders fear a major superstore on the town centre outskirts will lead to shop closures in Bank Street, the town's main street.

They are now preparing to talk to shopkeepers in Todmorden, where Safeway opened a new store just outside the town centre before Christmas, and in Prestwich, where Tesco have opened alongside the M62, to gauge the effect of the retail giants on small shops. The results will be used to lobby councillors before a decision is taken in March.

The chamber, the Market Traders Association and Rawtenstall Civic Society have all joined forces to fight Tesco. They have the support of Peel Holdings, owners of the site occupied by Asda half a mile away.

The applications before the council include one from Peel Holdings to expand the Asda site and create extra car parking as well as a bigger store.

Roger Wheeldon, senior development surveyor for Peel Holdings, said Tesco's announcement did not alter his company's position. He said: "We have an application before the council to expand the Asda store. We feel that's a more appropriate location for food retailing in Rawtenstall.

"The Newhallhey site is too far from the town centre and the town will suffer if this store is built."

A survey into shopping habits in Rossendale, commissioned by the council in summer, concluded that a second superstore would harm small shopkeepers more than Asda, which it said was the first choice for major shopping for 86 per cent of local people.

Mr Wheeldon added: "The study made the point that there is no spare shopping capacity in Rawtenstall for another superstore. We concur with these findings which support the findings of our own consultants."

The Newhallhey plan also includes fast food and white goods outlets and a petrol station.

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