DEPUTY Premier John Prescott faces another high court challenge over his controversial decision to scrap plans for a £30m Ikea superstore in Stockport.
It is the second time the Swedish flat-pack furniture giant has turned to the courts over its proposed store, blocked earlier this year.
In 2002, the company mounted its first high court challenge, after Mr Prescott overruled a planning inspector who said Ikea should be able to open an 8,000 sq ft store close to the M60 at Portwood.
Mr Prescott backed down days before the hearing was due to start on the advice of lawyers and ordered a second public inquiry, held at the end of last year.
A different inspector recommended refusing the application.
The company's high court appeal has the backing of Stockport council, which slammed Mr Prescott's decision as "astonishing".
An Ikea spokeswoman said: "It is with regret and considerable frustration that we find ourselves taking the government to the high court, as we were forced to take similar action after our first refusal, in which John Prescott accepted his decision was unsound and agreed to reopen the inquiry."
Ikea say the new outlet would create up to 600 jobs.
The nearest Ikea store to Manchester is in Warrington.
Should the Ikea store in Stockport get the go-ahead? Have your say.
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Aye
I don't think the Ikea project should go ahead at the Portwood roundabout as the congestions there is already extremely bad at busy times. However I do think that an Ikea stores should be built in the Manchester area and think that places like Eastland or the new Industrial Estate on the site of the old Monsall hospital would be ideal areas to put one.
I think they should build one in stockport because I need HOT DOGS and TEA LIGHTS - everything else is the same argos!!!
No the store should not be built in stockport, the town is already far too congested and already has plenty of flat pack furniture stores, mfi courts etc. on any morning or afternoon it takes about 30 to 45 minuites to travel the 4 miles from bredbury to the center of stockport becouse of the congestion. remember our councill lied to us in saying that the m60 would bring traffic relief to stockport, it has'nt we now get all the traffic from the surounding areas using bredbury woodley and romiley as a short cut to the m60. try getting down hyde road in the morning its completely blocked and at a total standstill for about two hours. stockport councill are more interested in the rates they will get than any amount of jobs, this is evident in the amount of old mills they are allowing to be converted in to flats and the amount of green belt land that is becoming brown belt, and did we need tesco's to be built when theire is another one 5 miles away and an asda sainsburys and two morrisons stores within 4 miles. like i said more buildings = more rates = GREED.
I don't think we should allow the store to go-ahead. What an insult of IKEA to assume just because there are people on lower incomes living in the vicinity of the proposed site that they will want to buy such stuff.
yes ,yes, yes! its a fantastic store but i can,t get to the other store as its too far away without my husband taking me.
no more supermarkets thankyou . lets have houseware store instead.
yes
A very welcome addition to the Ikea chain. It would serve lancashire much better. It is a 45min drive to either warrington or Leeds. People will always travel to an Ikea but increasing the stores would help traffic congestion and the environment
Of course it SHOULD be allowed !
It isn't as though it is near to anyone's home. It's not exactly spoiling anyone's view.
Personally I could not think of a more suitable site.
Simon Kilcington, Marple.