HOUSE of Fraser and Waitrose are trying to get plans for a £150 million out-of-town Worcester shopping park scrapped, it has emerged.

We can today exclusively reveal how both huge retailers have lodged objections to the John Lewis-led Worcester Woods scheme, claiming it will have "serious" implications for the city centre.

House of Fraser, which owns one of the city's best known stores inside the Crowngate, has made an impassioned plea to protect the High Street, saying a new out-of-town development of such size and scale would take people away from it.

The high-pressure intervention has upped the stakes over the decision, which is expected to be made by Worcester City Council this summer.

Waitrose's stance comes despite its London Road site not even being open, with foodstore bosses claiming a proposed 60,000 sq ft Sainsbury's on the Worcester Woods complex is "very concerning."

The city's long-awaited flagship 40,000 sq ft £20 million Waitrose store is due to open in the summer of 2016 in the old Ebenezer Baylis print works, and ironically will stock John Lewis goods.

Waitrose also says it fears Worcester will be saturated with too many supermarkets, saying it faces competition already from Lidl and Tesco.

Developer Land Securities, which is behind the Worcester Woods scheme, has also signed up Marks & Spencer and Next Home and Garden to its vision, with a planning application for a huge 13-unit plaza sitting with the city council.

A spokesman for DPP planning, on behalf of House of Fraser, said the department store has "great concerns".

"House of Fraser is one of the UK's leading department store operators and operate at the heart of the city centre," he said.

"They have great concern over the impact of the Worcester Woods scheme which would compete directly with the city centre."

The firm has handed a five-page dossier to the city council, saying "free parking and lower rents" will result in any big retailers seeking to sign up to one of the seven Worcester Woods units still available, leaving the city centre unable to compete.

It also says "although Worcester city centre appears healthy on the surface, in reality it is trying to retain and attract shoppers", insisting the John-Lewis led scheme would deal it a severe blow.

Waitrose, which has appointed SMB planning to list its objections, says it is already going to be competing with a Lidl in Newtown Road and two Tescos, and that there is "no policy or other justification" for another foodstore.

The city council's planning committee is expected to make a decision over Worcester Woods, which will create 551 jobs and 75 construction roles, later this summer.

Chris Fleetwood, from Land Securities, said: "We are committed to providing a high quality retail offer at Worcester Woods, designed to complement the city centre, and to regain for Worcester local custom from shoppers who currently travel to other destinations across the region.

"This will include high quality retailers such as John Lewis at Home.

"We believe Worcester residents as a whole will benefit from the increased retail choice and local jobs that our Worcester Woods plans will bring."

We revealed in April how four existing retails parks are also objecting to it, citing fears over the competition.