The inquiry into whether to build a superstore in a town has been extended by a day.

Eight days were not enough for all arguments to be heard over building an Asda superstore on the Worthing College site in Bolsover Road, Worthing.

In return for releasing the land, a new college costing £20 million and funded by Asda would be built next door.

But residents are opposed to the plans - fearing traffic congestion and the end of the nearby Strand shopping centre.

Planning inspector Mary ORourke will return to the town on May 8 to finish hearing points from both sides.

She will assess the current traffic issues in the area at 8am and visit the college to see the outdated facilities before hearing the closing submissions from all parties at Worthing Town Hall from noon.

So far the inquiry has heard how the development would create an extra 26,656 car journeys a week - a fact met by gasps among the audience in The Barn theatre in Field Place.

Rod Winter, secretary of the Field Place Residents Association, said the store would blight the neighbourhood with traffic chaos and ruin smaller traders.

Supported by more than 120 protesters, he condemned Asda for dubbing the demonstrators as a "vocal minority".

Mr Winter said afterwards: "People feel we made our feelings very clear on this and we will be backing it up with a closing submission which we are working on at the moment."

But Richard Phillips, speaking for Asda and the college, said the superstore would provide more choice to residents and boost competition.

He said the Highways Authority was not worried about the extra traffic implication and 450 new jobs would be generated by the £35 million project.

Friday, April 21, 2006