Petitions go head-to-head over Sainsbury's pharmacy

COMPETING petitions have been lodged both for and against a proposed in-store pharmacy at a Godalming supermarket.

A controversial application by Sainsbury’s, in Woolsack Way, was submitted in December last year, and opinion is divided over what decision should be made.

Many are angry at the way the supermarket went about applying for the pharmacy, which was opened without permission in November before a retrospective planning application was submitted.

Nearly six weeks later, a spokesman for Sainsbury's confirmed that it would be closing the facility "until the planning application was decided".

Store manager Joe Lock said at the time that feedback from customers had been positive, and that research was being done to determine whether the Sainsbury’s pharmacy would have a "detrimental impact on the town centre".

Two petitions have now been received by Waverley Borough Council, one of which was created on behalf of the supermarket and features comments and signatures from customers in favour of what they said was a more convenient facility.

Another petition has been lodged, signed by 1,133 residents of Godalming and the surrounding villages, all of whom object to the application on the grounds that it will negatively affect other, smaller pharmacies in the area.

It reads: “We believe that the opening of the pharmacy at the supermarket will affect all the pharmacies in the Godalming area. The existing pharmacies already provide all of the necessary services to the public.

“Sainsbury’s have defended their opening of the pharmacy saying that there is a requirement for a pharmacy after 5pm, however this is incorrect – other local pharmacies including Milford pharmacy are still open after this time.”

The petition will be considered against the supermarket's, which has been submitted in two parts.

The first, submitted with the original application, included 1,067 signatures and 717 ‘comments cards’ collected during a consultation exercise by the store, taking views from customers at the entrance, the coffee shop, petrol station and even from those using the new pharmacy.

An additional set of 449 signatures was submitted this month, along with an extra 20 comment cards. Much of the controversy exists over what Sainsbury’s staff claimed was a "genuine oversight" in not applying for permission in advance, but which many see as an error in judgement by the retailer.

Planning officers at Waverley Borough Council said the decision to "ignore local planning rules" had been "disappointing".

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Petitions go head-to-head over Sainsbury's pharmacy