Campaigners are ready to keep up the fight if Tesco appeals against the refusal of plaaning consent for it to expand its Abingdon store.

On Monday, the Vale of White Horse District Council's development control committee threw out plans to expand the size of the Marcham Road supermarket.

After the meeting, the president of Abingdon Chamber of Commerce Jill Carver said: "This decision is a boost for Abingdon. A bigger Tesco would do immense harm to small town centre businesses.

"But we know this isn't the end of our fight. Tesco is likely to appeal and, with all its power, will present a serious challenge. Now the really hard work begins."

The council's planning officers had advised that the expansion plans should be approved, and warned that a refusal could expose the authority to considerable costs, were Tesco to appeal and take its case to a public inquiry and win.

Eleven of the 15 councillors on the committee voted against the application.

Councillors were unconvinced by reports from consultants the council employed that a bigger store would not harm town centre businesses.

And they believed increased parking would encourage more traffic, even though the county council's highways department raised no concerns.

Tesco's corporate affairs manager Julian Walker-Palin said: "We have been working with the council for 28 months and consider we have met and exceeded all requests that have been asked of us. We are extremely disappointed with the decision.

"Tesco has a long-standing commitment to our customers to improve the Abingdon store and we will be considering what options are open to us."

Backing the traders were Abingdon Town Council; Threadneedle, the owner of the Bury Street shopping precinct, which plans a £1.7m refurbishment; the South Abingdon Floodplain Action Group SAFAG; and members of the public.

A consultants' report concluded that there would be enough surplus spending capacity by 2011 to support a bigger store and there would be little impact on the town centre.

The Environment Agency is happy with plans to reduce the risk of flooding.

Tesco was prepared to pay nearly £500,000 towards a road improvement scheme in Marcham Road, near the police station.

Sites for a new Tesco store in the town centre area were examined, but were either unsuitable or unavailable.

The present store is said to be "over-trading" and in need of improvement. The garden centre would be demolished to make way for an additional 180 parking spaces and 50 extra jobs created.

More than 1,000 customers signed an in-store petition supporting the expansion.

What the shoppers said

  • RICHARD DICKSON, of Stratton Way, Abingdon, said: "A bigger store would be better, offering more variety.

    "It needs improving. I don't think it would do much harm to the town centre which is already dying because there are not enough shops.

    "I am concerned, though, that more traffic would cause problems."

  • MANDY HUGGINS, from Sycamore Close, Abingdon, said: "There are already serious delays going out at the roundabout leading into Marcham Road. A bigger Tesco would attract more shoppers and would lead to even longer queues and delays.

    "The store might need improving but not expanding because it's already big enough.

    "They plan to knock down the garden centre for more parking and that would be a sad loss. I use it but if it goes I would be forced to travel elsewhere."

  • TONY JEFFERY, from Challow Road, Wantage, said: "I get all I need from the store so why make it bigger offering more of the same?

    "There is no need to expand it. If a bigger store sells more non-food products then that will add to the pressures on the small shops in the town centre. I don't see the need for expansion and support the council's decision to refuse permission."

  • CLAIRE SOPER, from Drayton Road, Sutton Courtenay, said: "The store is big enough. The selection of produce in fruit and vegetables, meat and fish and other products is more than enough to satisfy most demands.

    "If it gets bigger it will detract from the town centre shops and add more traffic to an already congested area of the town. If Tesco does eventually win approval then it should pay towards a multiplex cinema for Abingdon."