THE £55million Asda superstore earmarked for Hereford could be doomed. And the news that planners have slammed the scheme has come as a bombshell to its backers.

Planning officers have given the thumbs down to the proposed development, recommending Herefordshire councillors to reject the application when it is discussed on Monday.

If they do it will be the end of the Asda/Eign Enterprises partnership to develop seven hectares of land. The site, just across the city's Greyfriars Bridge, has been lying empty, and largely derelict, for 27 years.

Both companies say it is likely the land will stay that way for a long time to come: only a development such as theirs could afford to develop such a high-cost area.

Asda and Eign Enterprises have been working on the project for four years but planners say they are forced to say no for two main reasons:

l The applicants had failed to prove that a store of such size was needed.

l The area flooded and could cause concern for public safety.

The fact that Asda/Eign Enterprises were prepared to spend a total of £3.75 million on flood defences, about £2 million on improving Belmont roundabout and £3.5 million on community facilities, could not outweigh these.

Nor could the promise of up to 450 new jobs.

The council's head of planning, Jonathan Barrett, said a government policy statement earlier this year decreed planners were obliged to give more attention to need and sustainability when considering plans for new superstores, rather than other advantages that came from them.

He agreed the land involved was sorely in need of regeneration but said the Asda scheme did not meet the present criteria.

For Asda, Simon Hoare said his company was very disappointed at the tone of the report being put before the councillors.

Paul Lowe, Asda's senior development surveyor, questioned the reasons.

If there was no need for a superstore at Causeway Farm why was the council advocating one on the cattle market site?

"It has been suggested some on the council take the view if they say no to Causeway Farm we will be tempted to the cattle market site creating a bidding war between Tesco and Asda.

"We have looked at the potential development in the Edgar Street grid and, as far as we are concerned, it is non-existent - there will be no bidding war involving us.

"We have been working on Causeway Farm for four years and it is there - or nowhere.'' said Mr Lowe.

And there was a supporting swipe from Hereford MP Paul Keetch.

He accused the council of sending out all the wrong messages to potential investors in Hereford, adding: "Are they trying to scupper Asda's plans at Belmont in order to bump up the value of Edgar Street? If they are they are playing a very dangerous game.''

But the council rejected this as nonsense. Planning officers had to make judgements based on national and local policies and had done so in this case. There had been talks only about a superstore in the cattle market, no more than that. These did not influence the present application said Mr Barrett.

Planners had come to their conclusions after thorough consideration of planning policies and the observations of other bodies and organisations.

But Mr Hoare for Asda urged members of the central area planning sub committee to over-rule the planners on Monday, telling them they had got it wrong. Hereford City Council members supported the project, one of the biggest ever in Hereford, and he hoped they would continue to do so.

He said it was a 'kick in the teeth' to people south of the Wye. They were being pushed to the sidelines while issues north of the river got sorted out. "They have been the poor relations for far too long and it is time for them to stand up and say enough is enough,'' said Mr Hoare.

Anthony Davies, for Eign Enterprises, said: "If the scheme is rejected on Monday it would be the end of the matter."

If it was passed the partnership would take it through to the full meeting of the planning authority at the end of January. He accused the council of giving scant regard to the benefits to the community and said refusal could effectively destroy any ambition of the city of Hereford for the future of its people. It must, by implication raise several questions for the 20 year vision for the Edgar Street grid.

Mr Davies said Causeway Farm, better known locally as the Percy Edmunds caravan site, could stay derelict for a very long time. The same applied to the former Greyfriars Hotel, now an eyesore. Both depended on a satisfactory flood defence scheme, which the Asda project could have kick-started.

Without it there was no alternative flood prevention scheme in the offing.

Council planners object because:

l Contrary to national and local policy relating to retail development inside and outside central shopping and commercial areas.

l Fail to demonstrate a retail need for the food store.

l Fails to comply with housing polices in the current and emerging unitary development plan.

l Lies within a recognised flood risk area and likely to be occupied by vulnerable members of the public,

l Within the designated Hereford central conservation area

l Does nothing to improve or enhance the area and the proposed flood defence wall would lead to a significant loss in established and mature trees on the existing tramway embankment.

l Having regard to the important visual and nature conservation role of this established landscape feature and the very limited opportunity for suitable mitigation, the loss of trees would be harmful to the character and appearance of the site and would have a detrimental impact on the established wildlife and habitat of the feature.

l The essential character of the area is defined by openness and the substantial amount of trees that occupy the site.

Asda wants to build:

l An Asda food store totalling 80,500 sq ft, with 530 parking spaces.

l A new community centre to serve the Belmont area.

l Community health centre.

l A creche with associated out door play area.

l Eighteen residential apartments in a block adjoining the A49.

l A new replacement bowling green, club house and facilities, with car parking.

l New and enhanced pedestrian and cycle routes and links through the site to the city centre and Belmont area, including a £50,000 contribution to improve Drybridge Walk.

l A retained tramway and flood defence wall on the northern boundary.

l A comprehensive landscaping scheme, including £5,000 contribution to nature conservation enhancement.

l New access infrastructure incorporating a new highway junction and roundabout on the A49 and a financial contribution of £78,000 to improve public transport.

l The developers also offer a contribution of £2 million towards a comprehensive flood alleviation scheme for Hereford.