NEW proposals by supermarket giant Tesco to try to overcome objections to building a store in the ancient market town of Hadleigh are meeting stiff resistance following an exhibition mounted in the town.

NEW proposals by supermarket giant Tesco to try to overcome objections to building a store in the ancient market town of Hadleigh are meeting stiff resistance following an exhibition mounted in the town.

Tesco is pushing for land behind Hadleigh High Street, on which it hopes to build a supermarket, to be included in the local plan.

To overcome objections it has pinpointed an alternative route onto the site, from the town's Bridge Street, across a car park owned by Babergh District Council and allotments owned by Hadleigh Town Council.

The new route, it is argued, would mean delivery vehicles could get to the store from the A1071 Hadleigh bypass without going through the town centre.

Worries over increased traffic and its effect on the ancient buildings in the High Street conservation area were among the reasons given after a public inquiry in 2001 for rejecting Tesco's appeal against rejection of its plans.

If Babergh accepts the principle in the local plan, currently under review, that the town needs more food retailing then it has been argued that the council would have the power to compulsorily purchase the allotment land from the town council.

Allotment holders, many of whom have cultivated plots for years, have already fired off letters to Babergh objecting to the proposals, which are not yet in the form of a planning application.

Bryan Haylock, of the Idler bookshop, High Street, has been an allotment holder for 18 years.

He said: "We obviously don't want this to happen and some have already objected to Babergh.

"If it does happen the town council is obliged to find us an alternative allotment site, but it won't be the same.

"This soil that we are on at the moment has been used for years and is good."

Hadleigh Town Council has agreed to object to the new road.

It is also to seek legal advice on whether Babergh could compulsorily purchase its land.

Roy Smith, chairman of Hadleigh's Tesco supporters' group, said the proposed new access would be safer than the former plan of access from the High Street.

He said: "An access by the bridge would enable service vehicles from the bypass to reach the store without entering the High Street."