Fumes: Traffic emissions on Abbeydale Road already breach national pollution guidelines, a key reason for the planning decision 

Published Date: 03 August 2010 By Ben Spencer  The Star News Reporter

A LONG-running campaign to halt plans to expand a superstore in the south of Sheffield has succeeded, after councillors rejected an application for planning permission.

Supermarket giant Sainsburys wanted to build a two-storey extension at their Archer Road site in Millhouses, increasing floorspace by 40 per cent.

Company bosses were encouraged when council officers backed their plans, but members of a city planning board threw out the plans on grounds of increased traffic and air pollution.

During a heated town hall meeting residents made impassioned arguments for both sides.

Patricia Kirk and Marian Price said they had been shopping at the store for many years and welcomed the 80 new jobs the company said the extension would provide.

But Kate Stone, governor of Holt House Infant School, said she was "extremely concerned" about the impact on road safety and pollution. Amanda Hunn, of nearby Hastings Road, said small businesses in district shopping centres were worried about the effect on trade.

Ogo Osammor, Sheffield Council's air quality expert, said the extension would increase traffic from the site by five per cent and the impact on air quality would be "minimal". But councillors were concerned when he said some parts of Abbeydale Road were already "at or above" the national guidelines for nitrogen dioxide emissions. Voting against the plans Coun Mazher Iqbal said: "It is important that we improve quality of life across the city."

But board chairman Coun John Hesketh said: "I'm certain Sainsburys will appeal. That appeal will focus on the fact that this board decided to ignore the advice of our own officers."

Ted Gunby, chair of the Carterknowle and Millhouses Community Group, later said the board had made "a courageous decision".