STORE wars are breaking out in Worcester – with four retail parks objecting to proposals for a £150 million John Lewis-led shopping park outside the city centre.

Shrub Hill Retail Park, Blackpole Retail Park, Elgar Retail Park and even Malvern Shopping Park are trying to block the huge project, saying it will cause them huge problems in remaining viable.

Owners of all four say the scheme, proposed for land known as Worcester Woods off Newtown Road, should be scrapped to protect the High Street.

Their objections say:

- Worcester Woods would have 394,000 square foot of floor space which is 32 per cent of that in the entire city centre, in an “out-of-town location”

- It has 1,100 parking spaces proposed compared to around 2,900 in the entire city centre, another indication of its size and scale

- 15 per cent of Worcester city centre retail units are empty, with the owners of the parks calling the High Street “an already fragile environment” that would go backwards

- The project is “already undermining investor confidence in Worcester”, with claims retailers are placing interest in the city centre on hold until they know of the result.

It is the first time so many business owners have teamed up to criticise the proposal and it is also the first time a retail plaza outside of Worcester has got involved.

The objections have been submitted alongside a study by research firm Regeneris, funded by the four retail parks, which calls for Worcester Woods to be a high-skill, office and technology-based business hub instead.

It says: “The site presents a clear economic opportunity, which would be lost if developed for retail uses.”

“Retention of Worcester Woods is central to ensuring there is an adequate supply of employment land going forward.”

The written objections for all four also claim “there are not enough new operators” to either fill developer Land Securities’ complex or the rest of the shopping units left in Worcester and Malvern as it is.

Malvern Shopping Park, which is six miles away just off the A449 by Roman Way, has 15 shops including Argos, Halfords, New Look, Next and Burton – and says it fears the competition will deal it a huge blow.

Land Securities submitted its Worcester Woods planning application in January, with the plaza set to have 13 different units, creating 551 jobs.

A 30,000 sq ft Marks &Spencer, 60,000 sq ft Sainsbury’s with an eight-pump petrol station, £7 million 40,000 sq ft John Lewis at Home store and a Next Home and Garden outlet are all signed up so far.

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.”