Villagers campaigning against the building of a new shop in the heart of their community have been given a second reprieve.Ninety-seven residents of Peasedown St John have signed a petition to stop a convenience store being built on the site of the former Ashgrove Motors garage on Bath Road and the decision has now been delayed twice in a matter of weeks.

Sarah with Bath road residents, Parish Councillors and local business representatives

Members of Bath and North East Somerset Council's planning committee have decided they want developers King Cross Ltd to rethink the design of the building and take a closer look at highways issues.

The application involves demolishing the old garage building, which has stood empty since 2002, and replacing it with a new, flat-roofed structure, 16 car parking spaces and cycle parking.

There would be two accesses to the building and a central pedestrian route to the main Bath Road footway, complete with drop kerbs.

Cllr Sarah Bevan (Lib Dem, Peasedown) made an impassioned plea at the committee meeting last week in favour of dropping the plans altogether, on behalf of residents and the parish council.

She said: "Any development on this prominent and pivotal site must be such that it serves and enhances the community.

"This application fails on both counts, both in terms of use and amenity. That is, another convenience store would be detrimental to existing retailers, and the design of the proposed store, being flat roofed, would in no way enhance the street scene.

"Peasedown is one of the jewels in North East Somerset's crown and as such should be nourished and cherished, not sacrificed on the altar of capitalist ventures.

"We really must start demonstrating to commercial applicants that there's more to village life than commerce and ask them to be much more mindful of the character and quality of life in the communities they seek to make capital out of."

Residents are also concerned that a fourth venue in the area serving alcohol would add to existing anti-social behaviour problems, and that it will cause noise and traffic problems.

One letter of support for the plans has been received by the council, which stated that a new store would be welcome as existing retail outlets in the village are overpriced and offer a lack of choice.

A decision on the application was deferred first in October to await communication from the council's Economic Development Section.

Speaking on this latest delay, Cllr Bevan said: "At least this gives us a breathing space; at least we have the power to tell them to go away and think of something we deserve to have in our village."

(The article was first publised in the Somerset Guardian on 30/11/06. The story can be found at http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=150908&command=displayContent&sourceNode=150824&contentPK=16077532&folderPk=84816&pNodeId=150813)