Sainsbury's pulls plans for controversial new supermarket in Bishop's Waltham

The retailer confirmed today it is pulling plans a store in Bishop's Waltham, which was expected to create hundreds of jobs and provide a new doctors' surgery.

The news marks the end of a six-year battle over the plans, which mobilised hundreds of locals including TV star Amanda Holden.

It comes just days after Morrisons confirmed it was pulling out of its proposed store in Southampton's East Street, scrapping 400 potential new jobs.

A Sainsbury's spokesman said: “We have not taken this decision lightly and are very disappointed we are not able to open a new shop in Bishop’s Waltham.

“Since the proposals were first announced, shopping patterns have changed considerably and following a review, the scheme is no longer viable for us.

“We have been extremely grateful for the level of local support for the scheme and recognise that this news will be very disappointing to many people.

The planned store

“We will work closely with the council and others to look at longer term options for the site and will keep the community updated.”

Sainsbury's is understood to be in talks with potential buyers for the 35,000 sq ft Abbey Mill site.

The retailer was due to build a £1.6 million GPs surgery as part of the plans, relieving pressure on doctors who have become increasingly busy in the face of a growing population.

Bishop's Waltham Surgery's practice manager, Adrienne Ely, declined to comment ahead of a doctors' meeting to discuss the surgery, tomorrow.

The controversial proposals, first announced in 2009, split Bishop's Waltham during a long planning battle.

Anti-Sainsbury's campaigners said a national chain would wreck the town's high street and independent businesses, while supporters hailed the store as a victory for consumer choice and disabled shoppers who cannot travel.

Eric Birbeck, who led the pro-Sainsbury's Alternative View campaign, said yesterday: "It hurts. Bishop's Waltham requires or will require a store of national ilk to actually supply the demand, because Bishop's Waltham is going to increase its size over the next 20 to 25 years.

"There will be an increase in housing through the local development framework and that will not be met by having two shops in the High Street and a small Budgen's store."

Tony Kippenberger, who led the anti-Sainsbury's Bishop's Waltham Action Group, said: "We're delighted that the threats that we saw to the high street – and all the other issues that a large store on the outskirts of town would bring – are gone.

"We're now looking forward to the land being developed in a way that suits the community and is helpful. It's a brownfield site, and at the moment greenfield sites are being committed for housing and there was previous housing permission for this land."

Bishop's Waltham's population, currently around 6,000, is expected to grow significantly over the next 20 years, with five-hundred homes set to be built by 2031.

But Steve Miller, Winchester city councillor for Bishop's Waltham, wants the 35,000sq ft Sainsbury's site to stay in commercial hands.

He said: "There's going to be great sadness about a lack of a doctors surgery and there will be a certain number of people upset we won't get a Sainsbury's.

"It was important in terms of local jobs.

"Something that creates employment, I think, will be good for Bishop's Waltham."

The town had been waiting for news since November, when Sainsbury's announced it was dropping 40 stores in the face of growing competition from discount grocers like Aldi and Lidl.