Fight to stop Mexborough supermarket dealt a second blow

Doncaster Council’s planning board has already voted in favour of the development on the former United Carpets site off Station Road, despite a hard-fought battle by members of the Save Our High Street (Mexborough) opposition group.

Last Thursday, campaigners turned their attention to Rotherham’s planning committee, whose turn it was to vote on Kier Property’s proposals because part of the site falls into the borough’s boundary.

But councillors followed suit and backed the plans, leaving campaigners feeling “very let down.”

Hattie Norman, who has helped to lead the campaign, said: “We were hoping that Rotherham would fight our corner for Mexborough’s sake after our own council let us down.

“We thought that our arguments were very reasonable and made sense, but again councillors didn’t listen.

“Now it all feels a bit hopeless and although we have raised awareness with our campaign, it also feels like all the effort and hard work of the last eight months has been pointless.

“We’ve lost our battle and have been let down by both councils.”

The rubber-stamped application is for a supermarket, petrol station and public plaza.

Traders are now waiting anxiously to see what movements Kier make next and whether they will announce if a named supermarket has signed a contract for the development.

Tom Gilman, director of Kier Property, said: “We are very pleased that the plans for a new supermarket have been approved by both Doncaster and Rotherham Councils. 

“This development will create up to 250 new jobs, regenerate this key site in the town and keep people in Mexborough to do their main food shopping, boosting the town centre.

“We are still in discussions with the major supermarket operators and hope to be able to announce a final operator shortly. 

“Once this has been made we expect to be on site in the coming months and deliver this exciting project.”