THE leading councillor for planning in Tenbury has pledged to ensure that the Tesco scheme row is resolved one way or the other at the earliest opportunity.

Tony Penn, who chairs the northern area planning committee on Malvern Hills District Council, says that the matter needs to be determined so that people in the town can move on.

He is one of the councillors who represent Tenbury on the council and wants a decision made when the application comes before planners in the new year.

But he thinks this is likely to be in February rather than any earlier.

It had been hoped that the revised application would have been considered before Christmas. However, Councillor Penn believes a further short delay is for the best if it enables the town to get a definitive decision.

“I do not want this to drag on any longer than is necessary and when it comes before the planners all the information needs to be available to make a decision,” he said.

Talks between Tesco and planning chiefs are continuing and concerns raised by Tenbury Town Council are under discussion.

One of the issues being debated is the form that any section 106 agreement would take should the application be successful.

This is the support either in money or kind that Tesco would make to the town.

It is understood that this could include Tesco funding a new local bus service to link the town with surrounding villages.

Another possibility is the supermarket chain making a six-figure contribution to improving the public areas in the town.

This would have the attraction of helping to fill a shortfall in funding because of budget cuts being made by Worcestershire County Council.

Since Tesco’s interest in developing the former cattle market site became known in May 2010, a prolonged and acrimonious debate has split the town.