UK-based grocery retailer Morrisons has abandoned plans to open a supermarket and retail park in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent.
According to local media reports, planning issues were behind the cancelled building project of a supermarket, petrol station, four shops and five restaurants on the derelict site.
Norcros, the owner of the land and nearby pottery company Johnson Tiles, is now seeking compensation from the supermarket.
The landowner had signed a agreement to sell its Highgate Works site for £8.25 million after agreeing to carry out work costing £5.65 million there.
"Planning consent was obtained on the Highgate site in May 2013 for a 71,000 square foot foodstore for Morrisons and associated non-food retail units," said the company in a statement.
"However, a dispute as to whether this constitutes an acceptable planning consent has not been resolved, and more recently, Morrisons has been refusing to proceed in line with the contract."
"The board and its legal advisers believe the planning consent to be acceptable, and is considering its next actions regarding the contract, including seeking compensation from Morrisons."
"The planning consent granted in 2013 did not meet our contractual requirements,” said a Morrisons spokesperson.
"Regrettably we have reached a point where agreement is not achievable and this is now a legal matter.”
@ 2014 ESM Magazine
