A MAJOR supermarket chain has been given more time to carry out an expansion to its store.

Developers for Baldock Tesco Extra applied to North Herts District Council (NHDC) as time was running out to develop plans granted in 2009.

NHDC received one objection based on the use of the rear car park at night, which it claimed would cause noise and disturbance.

Part of the plan is for a single-storey side and rear extension to provide additional retail and bulk storage areas.

Baldock councillor Michael Muir who voted against the application said: “Tesco is a good store.

The only problem is the extra 50 per cent extra storage space being planned so they can sell white goods and I wouldn’t want to see the independent specialist stores in the town lose out and close as a result of this.

“There have been complaints of people doing wheelies at two in the morning and using the car park as a race track.”

Cllr Muir said there had been a “tremendous” number of complaints about overhanging trees and shrubbery which had not been maintained by Tesco.

The new plans include a pedestrian ramp on to the High Street and redesign of the memorial gardens.

The store currently has 900 car parking spaces but under the extended plans, this would reduce to 676, leading to fears this will increase car parking problems in the High Street.