Sainsbury’s opens without planning permission

The controversial new Sainsbury’s in Western Road has opened without planning permission for its shopfront and cashpoint.

Councillor Paul Elgood has hit out at Brighton and Hove City Council for not doing more to stop it.

On his blog, he writes: “Officers tell me that they have a right for retrospective planning permission, but it just seems to me that once again the council is failing to stand up to the big corporates.”

However, he adds: “Having said that I met with senior officers in the Environment Department to discuss the road management issues, and they are to contact both Sainsbury’s and Tesco’s to discuss the problems the illegal unloading will cause there. This at least presents a glimmer of hope.”