PLANNERS are set to give the go-ahead to a major expansion of Tesco's store at Clifton Moor, York.

The company wants to extend the front of the building by 12 metres, providing an additional 1,453 square metres of food floorspace and 45 square metres of non-food floorspace.

It has also applied for permission to build a 1,633 square metre two-storey extension at the rear of the store to provide additional bulk storage on the ground floor, and a customer caf and staff facilities on the first floor.

A report to next Thursday's City of York Council planning committee meeting says the store was currently "overtrading" by about 30 per cent compared to the company's average turnover levels.

It says Tesco's own surveys show that customers were dissatisfied with the store layout and size, feeling it is claustrophobic and congested.

"Tesco's own figures show that average customer counts have risen in the last ten years from 35,098 per week in 1992 to 47,823 in 2003," said the report by development control centre Heather Fairy.

"Officers feel that the proposed extension would improve the store for existing customers and provide a more comfortable shopping environment."

The report said the extension would mean the loss of 89 parking spaces, leaving 1,292 spaces, but a survey had shown that sufficient parking capacity remained even during peak trading hours. The expansion would lead to an increase in staffing.

Tesco had indicated that, where stores had been expanded elsewhere, it had not led to an increase in traffic coming to the premises.

"Experience has shown that these extensions provide enhanced facilities for existing customers and increase the customer spend."

The report said Rawcliffe Parish Council had agreed in principle to the expansion but felt that aspects of the application were unsuitable, and wanted to attend a site meeting to present its views.

Councillors are recommended to approve the scheme, subject to a series of conditions to prevent an adverse impact on the city centre. For example, additional mezzanine floors should not be permitted unless agreed in writing with the planning authority.

Updated: 10:24 Thursday, July 15, 2004