A multi-million pound expansion of the regional shopping centre at Cribbs Causeway near Bristol could get the go-ahead today despite major objections, including from Bath & North East Somerset Council.
It told South Gloucestershire Council that the massive scheme would “have a significant negative impact on the vitality and viability of designated centres throughout the West of England”.
B&NES also said the development flew in the face of national planning guidelines and would “draw some expenditure from [the area] specifically Bath City Centre and Keynsham Town Centre, and could affect the strategy for invsting in and providing for additional shops in these locations”.
The £300m expansion would increase Cribbs Causeway by two thirds.
The plans include new shops, bars, restaurants and housing, an hotel, a new bus station, multi-storey car park and an events space.
South Gloucestershire councillors deferred a decision when the plans went before them in February amid strong opposition from nearby councils and operators of rival smaller shopping centres, who fear it could lead to store closures and job losses.
But developers behind the scheme say it will bring huge economic benefits across the region, including 3,000 jobs during the construction phase and 3,750 permanent jobs once open.
Reports from consultants commissioned by South Gloucestershire show the expansion would have an impact on nearby centres, including Bath. But they concluded that the benefits outweighed these.
A decision is expecting by lunchtime today.
