ASDA’S plans to install an automated petrol station and car wash in Newton Abbot took a blow this week.

At Tuesday’s town council planning committee, councillors recommended refusal to Teignbridge Council due to loss of 55 car parking spaces.

Cllr Julie Anne Jones said that driving around the car park was already an issue without the an added flow of cars using new facilities.

Cllr David Howe, committee chairman, told councillors that Asda believed there would be little or no change to the number of cars using the car park.

Cllr Colin Parker branded Asda’s comment ‘rubbish’.

Cllr Mike Hocking said: ‘We need to resist losing parking spaces as upcoming plans to regenerate the town will see parking spaces being lost so to lose any more would be silly.’

Cllr Hocking proposed that the council refuse the application due to loss of parking spaces, noise pollution and detriment to nearby residents.

Cllr Howe said: ‘I disagree with you but I can see that there is a majority here.’

He compared the number of parking spaces at Sainsbury’s – which already has a petrol station – to Asda and found that Sainsbury’s had 178 spaces. Asda would still have 361 if the petrol station and car wash was built.

Every councillor, apart from Cllr Howe, voted to refuse the application.

It will go to the district council to be reviewed.