MANEA based Harrier Developments wants Fenland District Council to agree to a much bigger supermarket in Chatteris to attract Tesco and provide an extra 200 jobs locally.

The Fenland property company, run by Robert Sears, fought to get permission for a supermarket last year on Fenland Way but only won the day after agreeing to reduce to scale back the proposed size.

But now Harrier has re-submitted an application to Fenland planners asking to again increase by 75 per cent the space needed so it becomes viable for Tesco.

A statement to Fenland Council by Harrier says the permission granted last year “was designed to accord with the operational and trading requirements of the retailer then expected to occupy the store.

“In the intervening period Tesco has confirmed their requirement to operate from the site and a new application is required to provide a store to suit that retailer’s specific requirements.”

The store would be built to the west of Fenland Way and directly north of the Honeysome industrial estate. As with previous applications Harrier says it also wants to relocate the existing Travis Perkins premises from London Road to Fenland Way but this time will include a tool hire facility.

Harrier says the proposals now include engineering works for the realignment of the Twenty Foot Fenton Lodge Drain to enlarge the site needed for the extended developments.

Harrier insists Tesco “would not harm the vitality of the town centre” and benefit people locally by reducing their need to travel out of the area to shop.

The application is now before the council and is expected to come before the planning committee later this year.

Previous applications attracted many objections with some worried about late night opening and traffic clogging access roads.