Supermarket plans in for Southport

Supermarket chain Sainsbury's and asset manager UBS have submitted a joint planning application to Sefton Council for a 60,000 sq ft food store in Meols Cop Retail Park.

The plans include revised car parking, a petrol filling station and improved pedestrian access and landscaping. As part of the application, improvements to site access have been proposed, including a set of traffic lights on Meols Cop Road. A transport assessment, carried out by highways consultant Vectos, has said that this will help the road to cope with the increase in road users that the store would create.

UBS bought the retail park in 2007 from Coal Pension Schemes for £54.5m.

Andrew Sanderson, regional development manager for Sainsbury's, said: "We've received hundreds of responses since our public consultation events in March and many people have told us that the store is a great idea. Many of the comments focused on the economic benefits the store could bring to Southport, while others said they would welcome an alternative place to do their weekly shop."

A planning committee date to determine the proposals has not been set by Sefton Council.