CITY of York Council has created a conflict of interest through its choice of consultants to advise on a planning application by Sainsbury’s, two leading figures have claimed.

The authority is using a firm called WYG to give technical advice over the supermarket’s proposal to open a new store on the site of B&Q in Hull Road.

WYG says on its own website that it has a “long-term relationship” with Sainsbury’s, having provided town planning services to the retailer for more than 25 years and helping it to build new stores and extend existing ones.

York Outer MP Julian Sturdy has written to council chief executive Kersten England to say he believes there is a potential conflict of interest because of the firm’s work for Sainsbury’s elsewhere in the country. Mr Sturdy said: “I find it wholly inappropriate that the council is relying on advice from a consultant who, in my opinion, is clearly compromised and even more so on such a sensitive planning issue.” Graham Kennedy, boss of the Hull Road service station, who is leading a campaign against the Sainsbury’s application, also criticised the council’s use of WYG.

He said: “Any planning decision that relies on WYG’s advice will be flawed in my opinion and will be open to a legal challenge. New independent advisors should be appointed.” But a WYG spokesman said it was committed to providing impartial technical advice in all instances. “In this particular case, we have acted for York City Council and no other party,” he said.

“Whilst we respect opposing views, we stand by the quality and integrity of the report we provided.”

Mike Slater, assistant director of planning at the council, said WYG was appointed by the authority through a national consultancy framework procurement process.

“The council is confident the work undertaken by White Young Green both in relation to the York Retail Study (Local Plan Evidence Base) and their advice on the pre-app for the Sainsbury’s store at B&Q Hull Road was undertaken in an independent and impartial manner,” he said.