MAJOR plans that promise to bring hundreds of jobs to Ulverston have been opposed by the town's council.

The 'Beehive' development, which will be opposite the planned Blue Light Hub off the A590, will be the location for a Marks and Spencer and Aldi store, as well as the headquarters of businesses including Lake District Farmers and Fettle.

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However, at a meeting of Ulverston Town Council, members voted to recommend that South Lakeland District Council reject the plans.

Speaking to the Gazette after the meeting, leader of the council Colin Pickthall said that there was 'no guarantee' that the supermarket giants would occupy the retail space.

"The crucial issue was that the development plan specified that the land is for high-tech use," he said. "The application is for two retail developments and of course what they've done is put up this great smokescreen of 'we're going to have an Aldi and Marks and Spencer'.

"All of us would like those but there's no guarantee we would get them.

"If the development plan restriction on that site is breached it is my view that it would end up totally as a retail site."

Cllr Pickthall also expressed concern that the development would attract jobs out of the town centre rather than create new ones.

"We will lose shops," he said. "Particularly grocery shops and the indoor market. We'd probably lose the outdoor market as well."

He added that there was also concern about the traffic implications for the whole of Ulverston and its proximity to the planned emergency services Blue Light Hub.

"If you've got huge retail outfits with loads of traffic moving in and out, how do you manipulate it so the emergency services can get in and out successfully?" he said.

Following the vote, a spokesman for the developers, the Rawdon Property Group, said: “We are disappointed with the town council’s decision and believe that councillors have not fully appreciated the commercial problems of developing this site. The councillors do not accept that this is the only available site that will attract M&S Food and Aldi to Ulverston.

"If this plan is rejected, the councillors are rejecting securing hundreds of jobs, they are rejecting two major retailers coming to town and they are rejecting development of this site in the foreseeable future.

“During our consultation in September, the majority of the people responding were in favour of the development; they want M&S Food and Aldi to come to Ulverston, they want jobs retained and created here."