A PLANNING inquiry is set to open next week to decide on plans for a new Tesco store in Bourne End.

Although Wycombe District Council has decided not to hire lawyers to go up against the retail giant, planning councillors have repeatedly refused to accept the plans for the old police station in The Parade (see link below).

The independent inspector can still consider letters and arguments made by villagers and local traders.

Greengrocer David Bryant, who owns the Fruit Market on The Parade, has been battling the scheme since it was first announced.

He said recently: “I've written a letter to the inspector, as a lot of people have... If there's a little half chance in there to persuade the inspector then I think we've got to take that.”

There was huge controversy at two WDC meetings in February as the council decided not to back up its planning committee and oppose Tesco, saying it was unlikely to beat the proposal at an inquiry.

In the first meeting a committee chairman swayed a motion by using two votes, as allowed by the rules.

When the decision was revisited by the full council some Conservative members said they had been 'whipped' to vote a certain way. The party's leadership denied this.

The inquiry is scheduled to start on May 25 at Wycombe District Council. It is expected to last two days.