REVISED plans for the proposed Tesco store in Halesworth were revealed at a town council meeting this week.In the new plans, which are a reaction to feedback from the recent exhibition held in the town, the store design has been reduced in height by 1.

REVISED plans for the proposed Tesco store in Halesworth were revealed at a town council meeting this week.

In the new plans, which are a reaction to feedback from the recent exhibition held in the town, the store design has been reduced in height by 1.2m, bringing it in line with the height of the existing Co-op.

The adjustments also include further work on landscaping to preserve views from the Blyth Valley and Saxons Way to the church, as well as funding enlargements to the roundabout on Angel Link and widening the lanes on the Saxon Way junction to improve the flow of traffic.

Meanwhile the proposed “natural wooden appearance” which Tesco says has been designed to “fit in more sympathetically with Halesworth's character and the natural feel to the site” would be added to, and extra Clerestory windows would be included on the rear and southeast sides to bring more natural light into the

store.

However town councillor Ezra Leverett said he was not convinced by the adjustments. “It's a step in the right direction,” he said. “But this is an opportunity for Tesco to prove that they can be sensitive to their surroundings, and that design doesn't fit in with Halesworth.”

At the meeting Mr Leverett added that he was worried about the progress of the smaller second site in the Thoroughfare, which Tesco also owns and wants to develop for other purposes that might potentially be beneficial to the town.

Tesco have said that they will be submitting their planning application for the second site after the application for the first, and Mr Leverett said he feared the development might not go ahead.

He said: “Six years ago they knew there were problems with potential flooding on the site and they've had a significant amount of time to get their thoughts together on the town centre site. This site is key to the success or failure of the Thoroughfare. The two sites have to be linked together, they have to be submitted as a joint application. If they can't do that then they've failed.”

Tesco spokesman Francis Mallinson said: “As regards the design of the store, a wooden-framed store with this natural, rural character has not been used in the region to date. The materials were chosen in order to offer Halesworth a different store to other local towns.

“The flood risk on the Thoroughfare site makes it more complicated to find the right solution. At the town council meeting we showed members a draft design which is being discussed with the Environment Agency. So we are making progress as fast as possible on the town centre site and there will be a planning application submitted.”