A SUPERMARKET has been given permission to reduce its number of parking spaces...in order to make the existing bays bigger.

Planning officers at Southend Council have recommended that Asda, in North Shoebury Road, Shoebury, is granted permission to cut the number of spaces by almost 50 - from 513 to 464.

The application was submitted by Asda following a consultation with customers, who said the current spaces are too narrow and make it difficult to park. The existing bay widths are now set to be increased from 2.4m to 2.6m. The length of the spaces are to be increased from 4m to 4.8m.

The application also includes increasing the number of disabled parking spaces from 20 to 28, and the number of parent and child spaces from 17 to 30.

Associated works are also proposed to the existing car parking bays, including a reduction in the number of pedestrian walkways from four to two and the repositioning of lighting columns. In their recommendation, officers wrote: “The number of parking spaces on site will reduce from 513 to 464 with a net loss of 49 parking spaces.

“However, the proposed works will increase disabled car parking spaces and parent child spaces near to the main entrance of the store available for customers.

“The car park accumulation survey carried out by Gleneagles Project Services Limited demonstrates the existing car park does not reach full capacity even in peak hours and therefore no objections are raised on parking or highway grounds. The repositioning of the existing lighting columns and other works will not harm the amenities of nearby residential occupiers given the overall separation distance.”